The first duty of any government is to protect the safety and security of its citizens. Judging by this government’s craven approach to the Chinese, Labour is miserably failing the people of this country.
We are told that next month the Prime Minister is proposing to make a personal visit to Beijing, in which he’s expected to inform President Xi whether the Government will allow the proposed Chinese ‘super-embassy’ near the Tower of London.
The fact that this long-awaited decision appears to have been delayed to coincide with Sir Keir’s visit means we can lay a hefty bet that the PM plans to give the highly controversial plan the go-ahead.
This despite the fears of politicians both here and in the United States that the sprawling, 20,000 sq ft building could be used as a vast listening post due to its proximity to London’s financial district as well as a hub of critical communication cables.
Of course, it’s entirely possible that the Prime Minister may suddenly discover a backbone and inform Mr Xi that his embassy will not be allowed to proceed. But if this government’s obsequious track record is anything to go by, we can safely say: Fat chance of that.
In the 18 months since coming to power, Sir Keir and his Labour government have made a series of staggering concessions to Communist China. From their willingness to turn a blind eye to alleged espionage on Parliament’s doorstep to their disgraceful surrender of the Chagos Islands to China’s ally Mauritius, Labour ministers have bowed and scraped before Beijing in a pathetic attempt to attract investment.
Everywhere, it seems, the tentacles of Chinese state influence have infiltrated this government.
Just last week, it was revealed that sacked US Ambassador Lord Mandelson’s lobbying firm was hired by a company allegedly linked to the Chinese military. Global Counsel, the company the now-disgraced Mandelson set up after serving in Gordon Brown’s government, was hired by WuXi AppTec to defend claims it had ties to the Chinese regime.
Keir Starmer is planning to visit Beijing next month in a ploy to boost the UK’s ties with China
The proposed super-embassy in the Royal Mint building in London has proved a sticking point.
It’s one of several Chinese firms Global Counsel has advised, in fact, including TikTok and clothing retailer Shein.
Then there’s the Crown Prosecution Service’s dramatic decision to drop charges against two men accused of spying for China under the Official Secrets Act, after the Government bizarrely claimed the Deputy National Security Adviser refused to designate China a ‘threat’ or ‘enemy’.
Almost as implausible was the justification for handing the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius. This so-called ‘deal’, made in huge haste and with little Parliamentary scrutiny, is projected to cost the
