Sajid Javid will on Thursday hear a personal appeal to grant UK citizenship to 295 Hong Kong British Army veterans who were denied UK passports when the former colony was handed back to China in 1997.

A delegation, led by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, will urge the Home Secretary to reverse the refusals to right an “injustice” to Hong Kong Chinese soldiers who gave up to 18 years’ service to the British Army.

It will include two former Hong Kong soldiers representing the group of 295 who are backed by a public petition signed by 100,000 people and organised by 38 degrees, a campaigning community.

Hong Kong Chinese members of the armed services were allowed to apply for British citizenship before the handover but the numbers were restricted and based on a points system. Just 159 of the the 654 that applied were successful.

Mr Rosindell said: “The personnel of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps were regular soldiers of the British Army. They took an oath to pay allegiance to the Queen and it was a dishonour that many servicemen were left behind by Britain.

“This is a genuine plea for justice, and I hope the Home Secretary does not forget these devoted people. It is a moral obligation and the time is right to correct the injustice during the handover, we must allow the remaining veterans the right of abode.”