It has been reported that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has asked US President Donald Trump to raise the issue of Jimmy Lai’s imprisonment on Thursday, when Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Politico stated that Burnham spoke to Trump on September 22, who agreed that Lai should be released.

Jimmy Lai, a Catholic British citizen who ran the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, has been held in near-total isolation since December 2020, according to a recent report. In 2026, he was sentenced to 20 years in a maximum-security prison and suffers from a number of health problems, including diabetes and heart issues, in what has been described as effectively a life sentence.

According to a source who spoke with Politico, the British delegation that met with Trump suggested Lai could live in the UK. It is also claimed that Burnham had spoken to Xi about Lai’s imprisonment on September 8.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the conversation with Trump had taken place, during which Burnham had emphasised the need for Lai’s “immediate release”.

A September 15 report by the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHKF) stated that Lai, aged 78, is confined to a windowless cell and spends roughly 23 hours a day without human contact.

CFHKF reported that authorities “refuse to allow independent medical examinations” despite the seriousness of his health conditions. The report noted that Lai’s health had “deteriorated sharply” whilst in custody. “Credible sources say prison guards have even rehearsed procedures for the possibility that he dies in custody,” it said.

As a practising Catholic, Lai has also been repeatedly denied Holy Communion and regular pastoral care. Rather than allowing independent medical and pastoral access, CFHKF reported that the government stated instead that he receives “appropriate care”.

On August 12, Bishop James Curry, auxiliary bishop of Westminster, wrote to Burnham asking him to work for the release of Lai. Bishop Curry said that Lai had been sentenced because he voiced concerns, engaged in peaceful protest and published a pro-democracy newspaper.

The bishop expressed concern for the conditions in which Lai is kept, his deteriorating health and reports that he has no access to the sacraments. He asked Burnham to “follow the lead of his predecessors” to work to secure Lai’s release. Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in January that he would “raise the issues that need to be raised” regarding human rights in his meeting with Xi.

President Trump had been asked in May about the issue of Lai’s imprisonment, to which he responded that he would raise the issue with President Xi.

After the state visit, President Trump said: “I did bring it up, but it’s a tougher one for him.” President Trump later said he “did not feel optimistic” about Lai’s release, whom he stated had “caused a lot of bedlam”.