Government pushed by Labour MP to turn down ‘disastrous plan’ for China embassy on security grounds

Evening Standard

Labour's Sarah Champion has encouraged the Government to refuse plans for China’s “mega embassy” in central London on national security grounds, on the eve of a decision being announced.Ms Champion (Rotherham) said she was not persuaded by Foreign Office minister Seema Malhotra’s attempts to reassure MPs, as she said approving the embassy was “not a risk we can afford to take”.

Transcript

00:00Urgent question, Sarah Champion.

00:02Madam Deputy Speaker, to ask the Secretary of State for FCDO what representations have been made to Five Eyes partners

00:08regarding the potential risks posed by the proximity of sensitive cabling infrastructure to the Royal Mint Court,

00:15the site of the proposed new Chinese embassy.

00:18As the Director-General of MI5 commented last month,

00:22our security services have over a century of experience in managing the risks that arise from foreign embassies on UK soil

00:31and I have full confidence in their ability to do so effectively.

00:36I hear what the Minister has said but I'm not reassured.

00:39A Chinese mega-embassy in the heart of London is an issue of national significance,

00:45not purely planning as the Government tries to present it.

00:48Combined with the heightened risk to dissidents, campaigners and the wider public,

00:53is this really a risk we should be taking?

00:56I know I speak for colleagues across the House and the wider country because they've contacted me

01:01when I say this is not a risk we can afford to take

01:04and the Government should refuse this disastrous plan tomorrow.

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