A decision on China's proposed super-embassy in east London has been delayed until January, despite expectations of approval next week. The complex, planned for Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge, has sparked concerns among Labour MPs over security risks and potential impacts on Hong Kong and Uyghur exiles.
The green light for the 20,000 sq metre embassy would smooth relations ahead of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's expected visit to China at the end of January. However, officials insist there has been no political interference in the planning process, which is described as 'quasi-judicial'.
Shadow Home Office Minister Alicia Kearns raised an urgent question in the Commons on Tuesday, citing unredacted plans showing a network of over 200 subterranean rooms, including one alongside communication cables to the City of London. She warned this could provide 'a launch pad for economic warfare'.
Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said any new information would be assessed, but MI5 is understood to have no security concerns. Kearns dismissed this as complacent, while other Labour MPs, including Sarah Champion and Alex Sobel, voiced worries about threats to diaspora communities and national security.
Rushanara Ali, the MP for Bethnal Green and Stepney where the embassy would be located, called for local concerns to be taken seriously, particularly regarding Xinjiang. Pennycook assured that the planning process had not been compromised and that a decision would be made based on propriety guidance.
