A former director of Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Offices (ETO) in Jakarta and Bangkok is standing in the United Kingdom local elections for the right-wing Reform UK party.
Lee Sheung-yuen left government in 2023 after serving as the first director of the Bangkok ETO and concurrently served as director general of its Jakarta office. He is now contesting a seat on Ealing Council in London.
He also previously served as the government’s assistant commissioner for tourism and as administrative assistant to former commerce minister Gregory So Kam-leung.
His candidacy was disclosed in a notice issued by the council’s Electoral Services Office. The election is scheduled for May 7.
In response to the South China Morning Post’s inquiry, a Civil Service Bureau spokesman said a rigorous mechanism was in place to regulate the post-service employment of directorate civil servants, aiming to balance the public interest with an individual’s right to work.
Under current regulations, directorate civil servants at D2 level on the Directorate Pay Scale — the rank typically held by ETO directors — are subject to a two-year control period, during which they must seek prior approval before taking up outside employment.
The SCMP has reached out to Lee for comment.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he describes himself as a “former de facto diplomat, policy strategist, and classical pianist” with more than two decades of public service experience.
Now based in London, he says he teaches music to children from diverse backgrounds and volunteers in the community, including neighbourhood clean-up work.
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has called for tighter immigration controls.
Farage has also voiced support for media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who was sentenced to 20 years under the Beijing-imposed national security law, and has urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reject trade deals with China until Lai is released.
Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank, said it would be difficult to prevent retired or resigned civil servants from engaging in politics after completing the cooling-off period.
“Unless they have done something that sabotages the image and the authority of the Hong Kong government, or the administration has nothing to do with it,” he said.
He added that in such cases the government could consider suspending pension payments and holding them liable by exercising the extraterritorial provisions of national security laws.
Citing past cases of retired civil servants becoming ministers, lawmakers or joining political parties, Lau said requiring official approval for political activity could provoke opposition.
Lee is among several Hongkongers contesting the UK’s local elections. Others include Andy Ng Siu-hong, a former opposition district councillor, and Richard Choi Ka-yuen, founder of the Sutton Hongkongers group. Both are seeking re-election as Liberal Democrat candidates.