Sir Keir Starmer is set to approve China‘s new ‘super-embassy’ in London despite spying fears, it is claimed.
The Prime Minister is reportedly planning to approve the controversial plan for the Royal Mint Complex near the Tower of London after being given the green light by MI5 and MI6.
The Home Office and Foreign Office, representing the security services, will not raise objections to the development provided ‘mitigations’ are put in place, reports state.
Sir Keir will announce his decision on the embassy plan on December 10, not long before a trade trip to China.
The move will spark claims Britain is putting national security at risk in order to placate Beijing‘s bullying regime.
Last month, China’s foreign ministry warned the UK government would face ‘consequences’ if the embassy was not approved.
The relationship between both countries is severely strained after a series of spying scandals, with MPs warned just this week that they were being targeted by spies posing as recruiters on LinkedIn.
If the development is given the go-ahead the embassy at the site of the old Royal Mint (above) would become the largest in Europe
Sir Keir Starmer, pictured with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year, has been accused of striking a secret deal with Beijing to approve the ‘super-embassy’
Science Secretary Liz Kendall today declined to comment directly on reports in The Times, saying decisions on the embassy ‘will be taken through the proper process’.
But she told Sky News: ‘We are clear-eyed about our relationship with China and national security will always come first. That is absolutely non-negotiable.
‘But where we can safely work with China, whether that’s on the economy or areas like research, that’s what we’ll do, because we want to get the best outcome for the British public.’
Asked about reports that Sir Keir Starmer could visit China next year, she said: ‘I don’t know about the Prime Minister’s diary plans for the new year, but what I do know is that he takes all of those issues extremely seriously.’
Both the Tories and Lib Dems have called for Labour to reject the proposed embassy.
Addressing the Commons this week, Shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns said China should ‘not get away with attacks on our democracy’.
The development, on the site of a former Barclays trading floor, would have accommodation for more than 200 diplomats and intelligence officers, making it the largest embassy in Europe.
A nearby tunnel has carried fibre optic cables under the Thames since 1985.
The Bank of England has also highlighted the risks of allowing the embassy to be built close to sensitive financial centres.
Ms Kearns pressed the Government to require the Chinese government to pay ‘for sensitive underground cables to be rerouted away’ from it.
The planning process was revived by Beijing after Sir Keir won last year’s General Election, with President Xi Jinping mentioning it directly to Chancellor Rachel Reeves when she visited China in January to discuss trade deals.
Critics have accused Ms Reeves of sacrificing national security in her desperation to fill a £30billion black hole in the public finances.
Suspicions were increased by China’s furious reaction to Housing Secretary Steve Reed’s decision to delay a decision on the project until December 10.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman accused the UK of showing ‘disregard for contractual spirit’ and failing to honour its ‘commitments‘.
Last month, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped their case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, who denied passing secrets to the Chinese state.
MI5 chief Ken McCallum said he was ‘frustrated’ by the collapse of the case.
