Finnish MPs barred from entering the UK

British authorities have denied entry to two Finnish politicians, European Parliament member Sebastian Tynkkynen and Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen, using the United Kingdom’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. Tynkkynen, a right‑wing MEP, was blocked hours before his planned flight from Brussels to attend a conservative CPAC event in London; officials said his presence would not serve the public interest and offered no right of appeal. Räsänen, a Christian Democrat MP convicted of "hate speech" for biblical statements on homosexuality by Finland’s Supreme Court, had her ETA revoked after initially being approved, forcing her to reroute via Dallas and preventing her from speaking at the Northern Ireland Assembly and a missionary conference. Both cite recent criminal convictions as the likely cause of the bans. Räsänen plans to appeal the conviction to the European Court of Human Rights. The cases illustrate how the UK’s ETA can refuse travel on criminal grounds, raising concerns about freedom of expression and cross‑border political engagement.