Keir Starmer Accused Of 'Act Of Cowardice' Over Giant Chinese Embassy Approval

Keir Starmer has been accused of an 'act of cowardice' after his government approved plans for a vast Chinese super-embassy at the historic Royal Mint Court, a decision critics warn could expose the City of London to espionage and data security threats.

The 700,000 sq ft development, set in the shadow of the Tower of London, will become China's largest diplomatic mission in Europe and sits above a dense network of fibre-optic cables vital to Britain's financial system.

While ministers insist the risks are 'manageable', intelligence experts and senior figures across Westminster have reacted with alarm, arguing the move hands Beijing an unprecedented strategic foothold at the heart of the capital.

The Royal Mint Risk: A Fortress Of Espionage?

The primary concern for counterintelligence officials isn't just the size of the building, but what lies beneath it. Redacted planning documents have previously hinted at a vast network of basement rooms and unlabelled suites, some situated in chilling proximity to the City's sensitive data arteries.

For years, the Conservative party blocked the move, guided by warnings from Scotland Yard and MI5 that the site could be used as a high-tech listening post for state-sponsored eavesdropping.

The approval comes at a particularly sensitive time. MI5 recently issued an unprecedented alert regarding Chinese intelligence services targeting Westminster through LinkedIn recruitment and 'honeytrap' operations.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis has maintained that the government will not tolerate 'covert and calculated' meddling, yet to many, the Royal Mint deal feels like a surrender of the very ground the government claims to be defending.

Washington's Warning: The Transatlantic Fallout

The decision has not only rattled domestic observers but has sparked a sharp rebuke from Washington. US officials have reportedly described the move as 'gifting' Beijing a premier base for European operations.

Former CIA chief Mike Pompeo was characteristically blunt, describing the approval as 'absolutely nuts' and suggesting that the 'diplomats' occupying the site will likely be components of the Chinese national security apparatus.

The timing is also under scrutiny. The go-ahead was granted just ahead of Sir Keir's planned visit to Beijing, the first by a British Prime Minister since 2018. Opponents argue that the 'mega embassy' is an unearned reward for a regime that continues to crack down on dissidents and maintain a de facto alliance with Russia.

Conservative voices have branded the move an 'act of cowardice', while Liberal Democrats suggest it may be the Prime Minister's 'biggest mistake' to date. As the historic site of the Royal Mint is transformed into a high-security compound, the fear remains that Britain has traded its long-term security for a short-term diplomatic thaw.