Keir Starmer was accused of ‘kowtowing’ to China as he is poised to approve its ‘mega’ embassy.
It is understood the Prime Minister will announce a decision next month despite warnings over national security.
It comes in the same week as MI5 warned MPs about a security threat from Chinese spies seeking to infiltrate Parliament.
Reports that Sir Keir will approve the plan come ahead of his expected visit to China in January next year. It also comes in the wake of the collapse of a spy trial in which two men were accused of passing information to Beijing. They deny wrongdoing.
A Whitehall source said the embassy’s approval was likely to be a ‘formality’. But a No 10 source said a decision has not been made.
MPs erupted in fury at the news, with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith warning. ‘The Government is in a hopeless state of kowtow to China. We will take it to the courts because they have broken all the rules.
‘Everything China wants China gets. They spy on us, bully us, cajole us and yet Labour is there on deep bended knee asking for more. It’s a shameful moment for a British government.
‘China represents a threat that is real, constant and growing and this is a strategic disaster.’ Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel warned that rubber-stamping the embassy would put the UK at risk, adding: ‘Keir Starmer really hates Britain. He’s off to Beijing… after our intelligence services issued alerts about Chinese espionage following the massive spy case.’
China warned of ‘consequences’ if the embassy near the Tower of London is not given planning permission. The site at Royal Mint Court sits above a web of fibre- optic cables used to carry information into the City of London.
A decision on the embassy, which critics say will be used as a base for espionage, has been delayed repeatedly. But it is now set to be approved after MI5 and MI6 reportedly gave the plan the go-ahead, The Times reported.
Both the Home Office and Foreign Office are said to be not planning to raise objections provided appropriate ‘mitigations’ are in place to protect national security’.
It comes ahead of the PM’s expected visit to China next year to boost economic relations with one of Britain’s largest trading partners. Asked about the visit and the embassy decision, Sir Keir, who is at the G20 summit in South Africa, said he would ‘robustly’ protect national interests.
He said no visit had been confirmed while officials refused to comment on the embassy plans.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall declined to comment directly on reports the embassy will be approved, saying the decision will go ‘through the proper process’.
It comes after the security services warned Beijing is carrying out mass espionage on UK targets.
Chinese intelligence officers have attempted to recruit people linked to Westminster in an operation targeting the ‘weak underbelly of Parliament’, sources have said.
A decision on the embassy will be made by Steve Reed’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government after a quasi-judicial process set to end on December 10.
Ex-MI6 boss Richard Dearlove said the plans should be rejected, telling GB News the symbolism of a Chinese embassy in a building ‘so prominent, the largest they’ll have in Europe’, would not send the ‘right’ message.
He said the Government will be in ‘an awfully difficult position’ if it is approved.
