Dame Priti Patel has launched a fierce attack on the Labour Government, accusing ministers of compromising Britain's national security over plans to approve a massive new Chinese embassy in London.
Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Foreign Secretary branded Sir Keir Starmer "Beijing's useful idiot in Britain" and claimed his administration "cannot be trusted with our national security".
If approved, the facility would become the largest Chinese embassy anywhere in Europe, consolidating several existing Chinese government buildings scattered across the capital into a single site.
Critics have raised serious concerns about the location's proximity to underground fibre optic cables which transmit sensitive financial data between the City of London and Canary Wharf.
Speaking on GB News, Mrs Patel said: "Well, the major concern is, of course, the national security of our country.
That is something no Government should ever, ever compromise and that is exactly what Keir Starmer’s Government is doing.
"First of all, they cannot be trusted with our national security. They are too busy kowtowing to China. Apparently, he is going to get on a plane to Beijing in the next few weeks.
"At the same time, we have people of Hong Kong origin in our country who are being subjected to repression, bounties on their heads, and intimidation by the Chinese authorities and Keir Starmer’s Government seems to think this is all OK. It simply is not."
Dame Priti Patel accused Labour of 'being ‘hell-bent on compromising national security’
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Ellie Costello said: "But why, then, did the Conservatives sell this site to the Chinese Communist Party back in 2018? There were concerns about China even then."
Priti Patel replied: "Well, first of all, let’s be very clear. The details of this planning application have not been fully shared.
"This is a live application, and the full details have not been disclosed to the planning inspector. That includes the 208 rooms in the basement.
"Those details have not been shared with the planning inspector, and that is not right.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE CHINESE EMBASSY:
Critics have warned that the proposed building may pose security risks | CBRE"That is a level of cover-up misleading not just Parliament, but the planning inspector and the public effectively avoiding scrutiny of this application altogether.
"That is the fundamental issue at stake. This application should not go through. Yes, it is a live application, and Government ministers come to Parliament and say they cannot discuss it because it is live.
"But the reality is we have a Government hell-bent on compromising our national security, giving the green light to a planning application that has not been properly considered."
In November, MI5 issued a warning to parliamentarians that Chinese operatives were conducting "targeted and widespread" efforts to recruit and cultivate MPs through professional networking platforms and front companies.
Intelligence officials believe these suspected agents were attempting to obtain sensitive information about Parliament and the British Government.
Beijing has dismissed such allegations as "pure fabrication and malicious slander".
China has expressed frustration at the seven-year delay, accusing Britain of "constantly complicating and politicising the matter" and warning that any rejection would have consequences for which "the UK side" would bear responsibility.
Sir Keir has defended his approach, insisting that maintaining diplomatic engagement with the Asian superpower does not mean trading off security for economic access.
"This is not a question of balancing economic and security considerations. We don't trade off security in one area, for a bit more economic access somewhere else," the Prime Minister has said.
A group of Labour MPs have themselves voiced concerns about the application, citing "the recent track record of Chinese espionage cases, interference activities and issuing of bounties against UK-based Hong Kongers".
The Government faces a deadline of January 20 to deliver its final verdict on the application.
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