The Conservatives have asked for an ethics investigation into Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of China’s proposed new embassy in London after a decision on it was postponed.
Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake has written to standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus to express concerns that ministers, including Sir Keir, could have broken the ministerial code.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed pushed back the deadline for making a decision on planning permission for the new Chinese embassy until December 10.
Beijing claimed the UK was failing to “honour its commitments” by delaying the decision, but Downing Street has rejected that it made any assurances over the embassy.
Plans for the embassy were rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal.
But Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Labour’s election victory last year, and the plans were then called in so ministers would make the final decision.
Mr Hollinrake, in his letter, lists occasions where he has asked questions about the extent to which the government has discussed the embassy plans with Chinese counterparts.
In particular, he notes that Sir Keir reportedly discussed the application with Chinese President Xi Jinping weeks before it was called in.
“I’ve written to the Independent Adviser requesting an investigation into a breach of the Ministerial Code. Britain must not be bought or bullied by Beijing,” he posted on X alongside his letter.
A spokesman for Beijing’s ministry of foreign affairs threatened “consequences” over the pushed-back deadline on Friday.
Spokesman Lin Jian said China had shown “utmost sincerity and patience” over the decision, while accusing the UK of lacking “the spirit of contract, credibility and ethics” while “complicating and politicising the matter”.
He added: “That goes entirely against the UK’s commitments and previous remarks about improving China-UK relations.
“We once again call on the UK to fulfil its obligation and honour its commitments at once, otherwise the consequences arising therefrom shall be borne by the UK side.”
But Downing Street pushed back, with a spokesman saying the UK did not “recognise any claims of commitments or assurances” over the embassy.
Earlier in the week, Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy urged Mr Reed to reject Beijing’s application for a new embassy at the former Royal Mint, near the Tower of London.
Committee chairman Matt Western said approving the plans was “not in the UK’s long-term interest” and claimed the site posed spying risks due to its proximity to communications networks and data centres.
He also noted reports of plans for basement rooms and tunnels and that the security services have warned that allowing Beijing to set up the biggest embassy in Europe would create a hub for the country to expand its “intelligence-gathering and intimidation operations”.
The row over the proposed new embassy comes amid continued scrutiny of how the case against two alleged Chinese spies collapsed, and adds to the Government’s difficulties as it attempts to thaw relations with Beijing.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the row shows Sir Keir Starmer was “not looking after national security enough”.
She said: “What the Prime Minister needs to do is show some backbone. He is being weak, kowtowing to China.”
