Hong Kong businessman and British national Jimmy Lai is being subjected to “cruel and unusual punishment” given his continued imprisonment, according to the Foreign Secretary.

David Lammy hit out at the treatment of Mr Lai as MPs renewed calls for court proceedings to cease and for the 76-year-old to be released.

Pro-democracy supporter Mr Lai was jailed in late 2020 in Hong Kong, and is currently being held in solitary confinement after being accused of violating the territory’s new national security law.

Mr Lai, who founded the now defunct Apple Daily newspaper, has pleaded not guilty to charges of collusion with foreign forces and sedition, and faces life behind bars if convicted.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer raised Mr Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the recent G20 summit in Brazil.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Labour MP Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) said: “My constituent, the British citizen Jimmy Lai, is in failing health now and can I thank the Foreign Secretary for his work and his department in upholding his rights under international law.

“Can the Foreign Secretary share with us his assessment of the scale of international support for the release of Jimmy Lai?”

Mr Lammy said the level of support is “massive”, including in the United States and European Union.

He added: “His trial has begun, he’s now well into his 70s and that’s why I made the case to the Chinese that he should be released.

“This is becoming cruel and unusual punishment, frankly.”