Labour caves to China's demands as Keir Starmer 'approves' super-embassy despite spy threat

Both the Home Office and Foreign Office are also said to have not raised any objections, as long as the relevant security “mitigations” were assured.

The departments responsible for the security services are expected to present their formal response to the embassy proposal in days ahead of the official decision date on December 10.

However, a Whitehall source has indicated this process is likely to be a mere “formality,” per The Times.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government declined to comment when approached by GB News for further information.

The apparent decision emerges in the shadow of tensions between Britain and China following the collapse of a spy trial of two men accused of passing information to Beijing.

With both denying wrongdoing, the case ground to a halt as the government refused to label China as a national security threat. It led to China threatening the British government with “consequences” Sir Keir blocked the embassy plans.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing felt "grave concern and strong dissatisfaction" about the repeated delays in approval.

The spokesman called on the UK to “immediately fulfil its obligations and honour its commitments, otherwise the British side bear all consequences".

Plans for the embassy were repeatedly rejected by Tower Hamlets Council, and Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Labour's election victory last year.

At home, there remains intense scrutiny over the plans to redevelop the Royal Mint complex, with the majority citing concerns over national security.

In December last year, Tower Hamlets council once again unanimously rejected the proposals.

“The committee resolved to reject the application due to concerns over the impact on resident and tourist safety, heritage, police resources and highway safety given the congested nature of the area,” they said.

London’s Metropolitan Police has “maintained concerns” about the embassy over protests outside the planned site spilling onto the streets.

Previously, they had objected to the proposal on security grounds, but later withdrew after reviewing a document submitted by Beijing.

Protestors have also gathered outside the Royal Mint complex on several occasions to decry the plans, representing Uyghur, Tibetan, Hong Kong, and Chinese dissident groups

Simon Cheng, founder of Hongkongers in Britain, has also expressed fears that the embassy could facilitate surveillance or “long-arm law enforcement” by the Chinese Communist Party.

Several politicians, including the shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick and shadow security minister, Tom Tugendhat, have also spoken out about Beijing's super-embassy ambitions.

Speaking to GB News, Mr Tugendhat slammed: “This is not the way to run a country.”

"Particularly when we know that our enemies China, Russia and Iran are trying to do us really serious harm,” he added.

Reacting to defences of the plans, he fumed: “Do you really think that it's in our interest to have the Tower of London, that great symbol of English independence, going all the way back, in a way, to the Romans, but really to William the Conqueror, overshadowed by a Chinese embassy?"

"What kind of a message do you think that sends to people who want to invest in the UK? Seriously? You think that's in our interest? I don't," he told The People's Channel.

The Government has stressed that the planning process for the new Chinese embassy has been a robust one, with multiple stages of back and forth with concerned parties.

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