London: A delegation of 26 Tibetans and Tibet supporters took part in Tibet Lobby Day 2026 at the UK Houses of Parliament on 17 June 2026, engaging with nine parliamentarians and urging them to take concrete action in support of Tibet and the Tibetan people.
Organised by the Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group UK (V-TAG UK) and led by its UK National Coordinator, Tashi Samuels, the initiative was supported by the Office of Tibet, London, and partner organisations, including the International Tibet Network, Free Tibet, Students for a Free Tibet (International and London Chapter), Tibet Action Institute, and the Tibetan Community in Britain.
The annual advocacy action saw participants “green card” their MPs by approaching the Central Lobby ahead of Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), one of the busiest and most visible parliamentary sessions of the week.
Despite the packed parliamentary schedule, participants successfully engaged with a number of MPs, including Vicky Foxcroft MP (Labour, Lewisham North), Laura Kyrke-Smith MP (Labour, Aylesbury), Sir James Cleverly MP (Conservative, Braintree and former Foreign Secretary), The Rt Hon Darren Jones MP (Labour, Bristol North West and Chief Secretary to the Treasury), Stella Creasy MP (Labour Co-operative, Walthamstow), Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP (Conservative, Chingford and Woodford Green), and Dame Jessica Morden MP (Labour, Newport East).
Participants presented three key policy asks:
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Condemn China’s “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” and recognise its harmful provisions, which facilitate the erasure of Tibetan identity and criminalise expressions of Tibetan culture, language, and religion. MPs were urged to call on the Chinese government to repeal the law.
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Raise the issue of colonial-style boarding schools in Tibet by applying for the PMQs ballot or seeking supplementary questions during PMQs. Participants highlighted concerns that these schools violate Articles 29 and 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and contribute to the systematic separation of Tibetan children from their language, culture, and heritage.
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Publicly affirm support for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s authority over his succession, including endorsing his 2 July 2025 statement on reincarnation. MPs were asked to oppose any attempt by the Chinese government to interfere in this sacred Tibetan Buddhist tradition or to appoint Tibetan religious leaders for political purposes.
An immediate result of the Tibet lobby action came in the form of Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP recording a powerful statement condemning China’s “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” and assuring his continued support for Tibet and the Tibetan people.
Following the parliamentary engagements, participants gathered in Room Q, Portcullis House, booked by Chris Law MP (SNP, Dundee Central), Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet in the UK Parliament, where they were joined by Kerry McCarthy MP (Labour, Bristol East) and Wera Hobhouse MP (Liberal Democrat, Bath). Both parliamentarians discussed the campaign’s key Asks, reaffirmed their support for Tibet, and pledged to continue raising Tibet-related concerns in Parliament.
McCarthy and Hobhouse were among the four members of a cross-party UK parliamentary delegation (Chris Law and Alicia Kearns being the other two) that visited Dharamshala last month, on a programme organised by the Office of Tibet London. During the visit, they met His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and attended the official oath-taking ceremony of Sikyong Penpa Tsering as he commenced his second five-year term in office.
Addressing participants, Representative Tsering Yangkey expressed gratitude for their commitment and determination in engaging their elected representatives. She emphasised the importance of speaking on behalf of Tibetans living under Chinese rule and ensuring that their voices and struggles continue to be heard internationally.
Concluding the event, Tashi Samuels thanked participants for their dedication and stressed the importance of sustained engagement with MPs beyond Lobby Day.
Tibet Lobby Day 2026 concluded with a group photograph outside Parliament, marking another significant effort by Tibetans and supporters across the United Kingdom to bring Tibet’s concerns directly to the heart of British democracy.
– Report filed by Office of Tibet, London
