The government has been warned it faces an “embarrassing and potentially catastrophic” legal challenge if it approves a controversial new Chinese “mega-embassy” in the UK.
An announcement is expected this week on proposals for the building at Royal Mint Court, a site near the Tower of London, and could be made as soon as today.
Campaigners have vowed to press forward with their fight against the plans if ministers give them the go-ahead, with local residents raising money to launch a judicial review.
And the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, told Sky News he wished America had been able to acquire the site, saying there was “symbolism” behind the fact China had been able to.
Regardless, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is widely expected to give the plans the green light this week.
Ahead of a possible announcement today, Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: “Years of campaigning about the obvious and manifold risks posed by this embassy development have not been enough to outweigh the UK government’s desire for Beijing’s money.
“The fight isn’t over.
“The campaign now heads to the courts where the government is about to become embroiled in an embarrassing and potentially catastrophic judicial review.”
How did we get here?
Last month, the final decision on whether to grant planning permission for the Chinese embassy was delayed until 20 January.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said “national…
