Latest news with #megaembassy
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
China is being urged to explain 'secret basement' under its London 'mega-embassy'
has ordered China to explain why it has redacted blueprints for its 'mega-embassy' set to be built in London, amid fears the building's basement rooms could be converted into 'spy dungeons'. As Housing Secretary, Rayner has given Beijing two weeks to either provide unredacted plans, according to the FT. If China does not do this, the deputy prime minister has ordered it to 'identify precisely and comprehensively' the withheld parts and explain why the floorplan for the basement and other areas of the Royal Mint Court development have been 'greyed out'. According to Rayner's letter to the Chinese embassy, she highlighted that two suites of anonymous rooms and a tunnel were redacted 'for security reasons'. Other buildings on the plans were also partly greyed out, including the Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House. It also highlights a Home Office request for a 'hard perimeter' around the embassy that may represent a 'material amendment to the application that would require further consultation'. The letter asked for further information in order for the Housing Secretary to make a 'lawful determination' on whether to allow the site to go up, adding that 'no view has been formed yet.' The new embassy, if built, would sit opposite the Tower of London in the former Royal Mint and would be China's largest in Europe. Critics fear the site will become the centre of increased espionage operations and may be used to harass Chinese dissidents. The US has already expressed 'deep concern' over the project, as it sits close to the City of London, home to some of the world's largest financial institutions. MPs in the Netherlands have also raised similar concerns. The site was sold to China by the UK government in 2018 for £255million. A full decision on whether the embassy will be allowed to be built will be made by September. It comes after diplomatic sources warned the Mail on Sunday that the new embassy will have on-site accommodation for more than 200 intelligence officers. A source said: 'There will effectively be a student-style campus for spies in the heart of the City. 'And those spy dungeons are so deep that the sensitive cables are virtually at head height.' The MoS can also reveal that the embassy plans exempt a 'cultural exchange' section from 'inspection and verification' by UK authorities. A US security source said 'cultural interests/exchange' is a 'euphemism for intelligence and security services', adding: 'It's where they often stuff their security and intelligence staff, among other diplomats. 'And if it's a "cultural" centre/space, why do they always declare it off limits in planning documents?' Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Everywhere there is a mega embassy... Chinese state-sponsored, trans-national repression of those who have fled the Chinese state or who criticise it grows dramatically. 'It's simple: a bigger embassy has more spies and more repression.' Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Kevin Hollinrake said Labour had been 'caught red-handed trying to ram through this sinister embassy' in a 'desperate attempt to woo the Chinese Communist Party to bail out their failing economic policies'. He added: 'It is shocking Labour want to sign a legal document that will ban British officials checking what is being built in the embassy building. This is yet another surrender document from a Labour Government that puts foreign interests over British interests.' 'The so-called cultural exchange will clearly be used by Chinese spies and communist bullies to further their political ends.'
Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Times
Angela Rayner orders China to explain redacted mega-embassy plans
The deputy prime minister has told China that it must explain why parts of the plans for its new mega-embassy in London have been redacted as she prepares to rule on whether it can go ahead. Angela Rayner, who is also the minister in charge of planning, has given Beijing two weeks to justify why several areas are blacked out in drawings of its proposed redevelopment of the former home of the Royal Mint. In a letter from her department, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, it was revealed that a decision will be taken on the giant embassy on or before September 9. The department said that while 'no view has yet been formed', Rayner had been made aware of 'concerns' over redacted parts of the plans. It told Beijing that it must provide unredacted versions of the plans or 'identify precisely and comprehensively' the plans that have been redacted and to 'explain the rationale and justification'. The letter also said the Home Office had pointed out that a 'hard perimeter' would be needed around the embassy but that this may need a new planning application. Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which revealed the letter, told The Times: 'There's such hubris in Beijing that they think they can get away with simply hiding swathes of their mega-embassy from legitimate scrutiny. 'They also think they can bluntly refuse the very modest conditions placed upon their disastrous development by the foreign and home secretaries, and have their plan get the green light regardless. 'The government should stand firm by their conditions, because China won't meet them in time. This letter could be the beginning of the end for this ruinous plan.' The letter from Rayner's department suggested she would need to be persuaded that she could make a 'lawful determination' on the plans if they remained redacted. Beijing plans to move its diplomatic mission in the UK to Royal Mint Court, a 5.5-acre site in East Smithfield on the east side of the City of London. It was home to the Royal Mint until 1967. It would be the largest Chinese embassy in Europe. The 20,000 sq m plot would be transformed into an enormous complex designed by Sir David Chipperfield, the prizewinning architect behind the Neues Museum in Berlin and the Turner Contemporary in Margate. The planning decision for the embassy was called in by Rayner, the housing secretary, last year. The plan was initially refused by Tower Hamlets council in 2022. Sir Keir Starmer's government has attempted to improve relations with China since last year's general election but he has been urged by the United States to block Beijing's plans. The Chinese embassy in London was contacted for comment.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Rayner orders China to explain secret basement under London ‘mega-embassy'
Angela Rayner has ordered China to explain why it has redacted blueprints of a basement and other areas in a 'mega-embassy' to be built in London. Ms Rayner, who as Housing Secretary is tasked with deciding whether the project in the Royal Mint Court can go ahead, has given Beijing two weeks to explain why certain parts of its floor plans have been 'greyed out'. It comes amid fears the complex could effectively become a nest of espionage in the heart of London, with reports China could convert basement rooms into 'spy dungeons'. The demands from Ms Rayner are set out in an update from her department sent to DP9, the planning consultancy representing the Chinese embassy. It suggests a possible change of tone in the Government's approach to the project. Sir Keir Starmer was lobbied directly over the proposals by Xi Jinping, the Chinese premier, and has previously refused to intervene in the project, despite pressure from the US to block it on security grounds. Ms Rayner's letter, sent on Wednesday, was also addressed to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, and David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary. Other key players including the local council and Metropolitan Police were copied in. It revealed that Ms Rayner has asked Beijing to explain why some drawings submitted as part of the embassy plans have been marked as redacted. These include a proposed basement 'master plan', which contains two suites of anonymous rooms and a tunnel previously flagged up by critics as a potential 'modern-day dungeon' for spies. A note attached to the diagram states: 'This drawing has been redacted for security reasons.' The letter also notes that the 'internal physical arrangements' of two buildings, the Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House, both of which have basements, have been 'greyed out'. It goes on to ask for representations on whether Ms Rayner can reach a 'lawful determination' on planning permission on the basis of the redacted plans. The update was shared on social media by Luke de Pulford, the head of the Interparliamentary Alliance on China, which was copied into the correspondence. It is likely to reignite widespread concerns over the proposed 'mega-embassy', with critics having repeatedly warned that it could pose a threat to Britain's national security. The US is said to have urged the UK to reject the proposals on security grounds given the site's proximity to a hub of sensitive data near key financial centres. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, wrote to Ms Rayner last month to reiterate these concerns, saying it would be 'inappropriate' to approve the application pending a plan to address such a 'serious matter'. The proposed 'mega-embassy' at the former Royal Mint site, near the Tower of London, has been locked in a planning battle for years, with the decision called in for review by Ms Rayner last year. Following a public inquiry, the Planning Inspectorate has reportedly given the development the green light, with the Deputy Prime Minister to make a final decision by September. Mr de Pulford said he was hopeful the 'tough' demands set out in the letter indicated the Government had 'seen the light' and would put a stop to the plans. He told The Telegraph: 'This development is a disaster for national security, residents, and UK interests. It should never have got this far. 'I can't see how Beijing is going to meet the Secretary of State's conditions. So, either a deal has already been done – and the Government is trying to look tough – or they've genuinely seen the light. After a long, hard fight, we're certainly hoping the latter.' 'Greyed-out' The Ministry of Housing refused to comment while the decision-making process was ongoing. All parties have been given a deadline of Aug 20 to make further representations. There is some confusion about whether the drawings in question are supposed to be redacted or not. In some cases, the Government says other documents obtained as part of the public inquiry appear to fill in some of the gaps. The letter states: 'The Secretary of State has noted that the Planning (Addendum 2) Drawing List dated 31 Jan 2025 identifies drawings which are said to be redacted. 'Some of those drawings are marked on their face as being 'redacted for security reasons', and it appears that this may refer, at least principally, to the internal physical arrangements of the Cultural Exchange Building and Embassy House, both of which have been 'greyed-out'. 'However, other plans which are identified as being redacted in the Drawing List are not marked on their face as such, and contain no obvious redactions. 'Furthermore, in some cases, documents which were before the inquiry... appear to show, indicatively at least, information which was redacted on the drawings (e.g. the internal physical arrangements of some of the buildings).' As a result, Ms Rayner has asked China to 'identify precisely and comprehensively' what has been redacted, what the nature of the redactions are, and the rationale and justification for them. The letter also requests an update from Ms Cooper and Mr Lammy on two conditions they set for the 'mega-embassy' in February. The first was to consolidate all Chinese consular premises in London in the new complex, and the second was for a hard perimeter to be built around part of the site so people can still access some historic ruins. If Ms Cooper and Mr Lammy refuse to budge on their demands, Beijing will need to agree to the adjustments or abandon the plans, which have been years in the making. Meeting the condition on the hard perimeter would be difficult because the local planning authority has said it would constitute a 'material amendment' to the application that would require further consultation. The embassy plans were initially rejected in 2022 by Tower Hamlets Council owing to health and safety concerns. The proposal was then withdrawn by China, before being resubmitted a month after Labour came to power. Mr Xi is said to have personally sought Sir Keir's support for the plan in a phone call between the two leaders. Ms Rayner then used her powers as Housing Secretary to take control of the planning decision, after reportedly being urged by Mr Lammy to do so. The Conservatives have warned it is 'likely' the embassy will be used as a base for Chinese espionage and urged the Government to block it. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, told Sky News in June: 'We've seen the Chinese government cracking down on dissidents, running secret police stations in the UK, even putting bounties on the heads of dissidents, some of whom I've met. We should not be giving permission to this.' Ms Rayner also faces a backlash from her own party if she waves through the application, with one Labour MP telling The Telegraph in June they thought it would be wrong to approve it. The row presents an awkward dilemma for Sir Keir Starmer, who has pursued a strategy of engagement with Beijing while attempting to maintain a positive relationship with Donald Trump, a prominent China sceptic. Peter Kyle, the Science Secretary, has said the UK will offer a 'fulsome response' to any security fears raised. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, has said he would support a judicial review into the decision if the plans are approved. This would involve challenging the lawfulness of the decision, raising the prospect of it being overturned in the courts. The Chinese embassy has always waved away criticism of the proposals and the claims about national security being in jeopardy. In response to previous reports about the basement rooms being used as 'spy dungeons', a spokesman said: 'Anti-China elements are always keen on slandering and attacking China.'
The Sun
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
China's London mega-embassy could be scrapped amid claims ministers rigged decision in secret deal
CHINA's bid to build a mega-embassy in the heart of London could be scrapped amid bombshell claims ministers rigged the decision behind closed doors. A senior Tory says ministers privately gave Beijing the nod before the official process began - raising fears the final call is now 'unlawful' and could be thrown out in court. 4 4 Shadow Housing Secretary Kevin Hollinrake has written to the Cabinet Secretary demanding the controversial application be halted and restarted from scratch. His explosive letter, seen by The Sun, points to a string of evasive answers to parliamentary questions, a 'call-in' of the decision from local council control, and Chinese media crowing that the UK quietly 'greenlit' the plan just 48 hours after a Government trade mission to Beijing. He warned ministers may have 'fettered' the legal independence of Deputy PM Angela Rayner - who must decide the case fairly in a quasi-judicial role - by sending political signals before any evidence was reviewed. Mr Hollinrake wrote: 'There is a clear case that the Government codes and guidance have been breached, and Government Ministers have acted unlawfully. "In turn, that opens the Government up to a judicial review. "This will be expensive and reputationally damaging to the UK Government. "I would therefore ask that the planning process is halted and started afresh from scratch." China wants to turn the five-acre Royal Mint Court site near the Tower of London - next to sensitive data cables and Whitehall offices - into its biggest embassy in Europe. The plans have been bogged down in a national security row for years, with Tower Hamlets Council rejecting them in 2022. But Chinese officials revived their bid only weeks after Labour took power. A former Foreign Office official told The Sun Chinese diplomats made it clear before the election they wouldn't come back unless the UK gave them quiet guarantees it would be approved. The ex-official said: 'They wouldn't have come back unless the UK signalled it would be waved through." Chinese state-linked media reports from Baidu also show how Beijing interpreted a visit by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as a breakthrough in the row back in January. One article reads: "After six years of diplomatic deadlock, within merely 48 hours a monumental change has taken place: the English/British government has clearly expressed support for China to build a new embassy in London." The reports came as Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also sent letters to the Planning Inspectorate backing the plan. Top barrister Richard Harwood KC told The Sun the process could now be challenged in court if ministers gave the impression it was a done deal. He said: 'If the judge thinks that the government have given impression that they just want to approve it for political, in terms of international political reasons, rather than the planning merits and we were signalling that to the Chinese government in advance, then there's clearly a strong chance that the court would find that is unlawful." On the Government's move to take over the decision from Tower Hamlets, he added: "It's relatively unusual to get an application called in before the council decided what it was going to do about it." The Shadow Housing Secretary also revealed how the Cabinet Office has refused to release records of key meetings, calls and emails between Chinese diplomats, ministers, No10 and the Foreign Office - despite admitting they exist. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, who has campaigned against China's bid for the embassy, blasted: "This whole process is a fiasco. "Starmer, Lammy and Cooper are more interested in bending backwards for a hostile state than defending the security of British people." And Luke de Pulford, head of cross-party group IPAC, added: "If assurances over the mega-embassy have been given to Beijing, the whole process should be aborted and a public inquiry announced. "Beijing said themselves they would not apply again unless given the green light by government, and those of us opposing the plan have often felt like planning law was just window dressing for a done deal. "Time to drag this murky embassy business into the light.' The row comes as the US and Dutch governments have both raised alarm over the embassy's location at Royal Mint Court, near critical data infrastructure in the capital. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government said: "Planning casework decisions are at a matter for MHCLG. "Ministers hold a quasi-judicial role in the planning process and adhere to the published propriety guidance when taking decisions.'
