New row erupts over China's plan for London super embassy as ministers intervene to force it through

Transcript

00:00A new row has erupted over China's plans to build a super embassy in East London,

00:04after the Home and Foreign Secretary intervened in the deeply controversial proposal.

00:09Yvette Cooper and David Lammy waded into the debate to signal their support for the scheme,

00:13despite the Metropolitan Police expressing security concerns and protests from residents.

00:18China's proposal to turn the former Royal Mint building into Europe's largest embassy

00:22was rejected by Tower Hamlets Council before Secretary of State Angela Rayner

00:26announced she would make the final decision in October.

00:29In a joint letter to the Planning Inspectorate this week, Cooper and Lammy stressed the

00:33importance of countries having functioning diplomatic premises in each other's capitals.

00:37Counter-terror police said the site, opposite the Tower of London, was bound to attract

00:41large protests and tackling demonstrations could take officers away from frontline duties.

00:46Intelligence services are also reportedly worried about the area's proximity to

00:50critical communication cables, which could be susceptible to attack.

00:54In their letter, Cooper and Lammy said the Met has decided to withdraw its objection,

00:58saying it's content that there is sufficient space for future protests without significantly

01:03impacting the adjacent road network. The intervention came just days after

01:07Chancellor Rachel Reeves visited Beijing and Shanghai in a bid to boost economic

01:11and trade ties with the UK. Mr Lammy also visited China last year.

01:15Tower Hamlets Councillor Peter Goulds, who strongly opposes the plan, has demanded the

01:19government come clean as to what discussions they have actually had with the Chinese government

01:23on this matter. He's also accused the Met Police of not acting independently,

01:27and said the body must explain why it's changed its mind.