Labour accused of 'silencing experts' over China embassy

INTELLIGENCE chiefs were denied the chance to raise concerns about China’s plans to establish a giant embassy across the road from the Tower of London, opponents have claimed.

- BY DAVID WILLIAMSON Chief Political Commentator

Campaigners against the proposed Chinese embassy in Central London yesterday. Inset, Kemi Badenoch

Sir James Cleverly, the former Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary, accused Labour of having “silenced” security experts and said Keir Starmer is “kowtowing to China” in the hope of winning investment. The Prime Minister is due to visit the country and meet President Xi Jinping, inset, later this month.

The Tories have demanded to know why the government did not trigger a special provision to allow the country’s intelligence agencies to highlight concerns about the planning application without their evidence being passed to Beijing.