Spying fears after camera found where Chinese embassy was approved

Fears of espionage have grown following the uncovering of a ‘secret camera’ in a sensitive Whitehall building where ministers approved China’s planned mega embassy.

The discovery of the device – hidden in a ceiling panel – was made by security officials working at Marsham Street in Victoria, London, a large office complex which houses both the Home Office and the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The presence of the camera has sparked fears of spying as offices in the building previously hosted ministers involved in the controversial planning application for a proposed Chinese mega-embassy in the city.

It is said to have been discovered within the last two months in a communal area of the building used by multiple civil servants.

It is not yet clear how the device came to be in such a sensitive location; however, Security Services have been informed and inquiries are currently ongoing.

The revelation of a hidden camera will renew worries over the security of UK Government buildings, with opponents to China’s planned embassy previously warning it may be used as a base for spying and posed significant security risks.

In recent years, hackers connected to China and Russia have been linked with multiple cyber operations against UK Government systems, aimed at accessing sensitive information and political intelligence.

A covert device located in Whitehall – a location proximate to ministers and key officials responsible for sensitive policy issues – will only serve to intensify fears over such espionage threats.

Pictured: The Home office and MHCLG HQ on Marsham Street, Victoria, where the hidden camera was found

At present, there is no suggestion that China or Russia are linked to the device.

However, staff in the building are said to have been left shocked by the discovery, fearing it had been listening to or watching them.

There has also been speculation among staff as to why the device was placed there to begin with, the i Paper reports.

Alex Burghart, Tory shadow minister, described the discovery as an ‘extremely serious incident that demands an urgent investigation’.

He said: ‘The discovery of a hidden camera inside a building that occupies the Home Office and other departments raises serious questions about the security of government departments and the actions of those seeking to undermine them.

‘We urgently need to know who was responsible, how long this device was in place, and whether any sensitive or classified information has been compromised.’

The MHCLG has been approached for comment.

Earlier this year, the Home Office and the MHCLG were engaged in the controversial planning to give the go ahead for China’s proposed mega-embassy.

Royal Mint Court, the proposed site of China’s planned mega-embassy near Tower Bridge in London 

The embassy, which would sit on the site of the former Royal Mint, prompted MPs from across the political spectrum to urge the Government to reject the application, citing security concerns.

In January, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced renewed pressure to block the plans from a group of Labour MPs who raised security concerns and warned the embassy could be used to ‘step up intimidation’ against dissidents.

MPs, including Sarah Champion, cited ‘the recent track record of Chinese espionage cases, interference activities, and issuing of bounties against UK-based Hong Kongers’, as well as ‘the fact that this embassy would sit above sensitive infrastructure critical to both the UK’s economic and national security’.

Despite the warnings, the Government called in the application and Sir Keir gave the go-ahead for the embassy earlier this year.

Tory MPs condemned the decision, saying ‘kow-tow Keir’ was being ‘spineless’ and compromising national security to secure a better trade with Beijing.

Last year, The Mail on Sunday revealed planning documents for the embassy included ‘spy dungeons,’ which included two suites of basement rooms and a tunnel.

Their purpose was redacted for security reasons.

Diplomatic sources also disclosed a proposed ‘spy campus’ will provide on-site accommodation for more than 200 intelligence officers at the embassy.

China wants to create a huge diplomatic headquarters on a historic site near the City of London

The row over the embassy has been ongoing since 2018, when China bought the 215,280 sq ft site for £255million from the Crown Estate. 

Security fears were immediately raised over the land’s proximity to sensitive underground communications in the Square Mile.

The cables along Mansell Street, belonging to companies including BT, carry communications to and from financial institutions in the City of London.

They also sit directly between financial hubs in the City and Canary Wharf and are in close proximity to three major data centres, including the Stock Exchange.

China has dismissed claims the embassy could be an espionage hub.