Kemi Badenoch has launched a fierce criticism of Sir Keir Starmer, urging him to show strength and halt the development of a proposed Chinese super-embassy in London. The Conservative leader called on Starmer to overcome his apprehensions and take action against the controversial project.

Badenoch’s remarks came during a protest at the proposed embassy site in central London, which drew a crowd of approximately 500 participants. The gathering included local residents, members of the Chinese and Hong Kong communities, as well as political activists, all united in their opposition to the development.

The protest coincided with a crucial moment in the ongoing planning dispute, which has been simmering for years. Authorities are expected to deliver a final decision this week on whether the embassy can be constructed on the historic grounds of the Royal Mint.

Concerned parties across the political divide have raised alarms about the potential security risks posed by the so-called super-embassy. They argue it could serve as a “spy centre,” given its unsettling proximity to critical fibre-optic cables, thus posing a threat of espionage activities targeting Europe.

The controversy began in 2018 when China acquired the 215,280 square foot site from the Crown Estate for £255 million. Since then, the proposed embassy has sparked intense debate, with security concerns focusing on the site’s closeness to sensitive underground communications within London’s financial district.

Security fears were immediately raised over the land’s proximity to sensitive underground communications in the Square Mile.

The cables along Mansell Street, which belong to companies including BT, Colt Technologies and Verizon, carry communications to and from financial institutions in the City of London.

They sit directly between financial hubs in the City and Canary Wharf and close to three major data centres, including the Stock Exchange.

Kemi Badenochtoday attacked ‘weak’ Sir Keir Starmerover the proposed Chinasuper-embassy, telling him to stop being ‘so terrified’ and block the plans

The leader of the Conservativesspoke at a protest at the site of the proposed embassy in central Londonattended by around 500 people

Addressing the crowd of protesters this afternoon, Badenoch said the UK must ‘stand up to’ China, arguing it ‘helps our enemies’ and has ‘harassed British elected officials’.

‘We know that we have to stand up to the abuses of China,’ she said. ‘And what worries me is that we have a government right now who seems to be scared of China.

‘We have a government that has no backbone.’

She added: ‘I’m standing because I know what it is like to live without freedom. We take it for granted in the United Kingdom because we have had it for so long.

‘Those who have lived under repressive regimes, those who have lived under authoritarianism, those who have lived under communism know what that suffering is like, and we do not want to see that here.

 ‘I speak right now as the leader of the opposition, the leader of the Conservative party.

‘I stand with you. I tell you that I will always fight for freedom and I am calling on the government to stop this decision. 

‘We do not want a country that spies on our MPs having this super embassy right here and I will do everything within my power to continue speaking on your behalf.

Representatives of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, along with other groups, demonstrate outside Royal Mint Court in London on Saturday

The row has rumbled on about the planned mega embassy since 2018 when China bought the 215,280 sq ft site for £255million from the Crown Estate – with a decision due on or before January 20

China is reportedly planning to build a secret underground room that could be used to spy on the UK at the site of its controversial ‘super embassy’ in London. Pictured: Concept plans for the embassy which will be located on the former Royal Mint site

‘All of you here today are so brave, I see the bravery, I know how difficult it is. I do not want you to be spied on, I do not want you to be hounded, I do not want you to be chucked into a makeshift police station. 

‘This is a free country, we must always guarantee freedom, and we need a government with a backbone and a Prime Minister who is not weak, who will look after our national interests and make sure that he supports British values, of which freedom is the primary one.’

She added: ‘I will continue to do everything that I can to fight for your cause.’ 

Speaking to the Daily Mail afterwards, the Tory leader said: ‘I don’t know what’s going on in Keir Starmer’s head.

‘My message is, stop this decision. Stop being so terrified of China. Start to fix our economy. He should be acting in our interests. We have seen what China does.’

It comes after unredacted papers revealed this week renewed calls for the plans to be blocked.

They are said to show a hidden room in the north-west corner of the proposed building – just metres away from a vital fibre-optic cable network transmitting financial data from the City of London and Canary Wharf.

There are fears the new embassy could be used as a ‘spy centre’, with some critics raising concerns that China could tap into the cables and eavesdrop on key information. 

The secret room seen in the plans is triangular and measures up to 40 metres across and 2-3 metres deep.

It includes at least two air extraction systems, according to The Telegraph, seemingly indicating it could house heat-generating equipment such as high-tech computers.

It is part of a network of 208 secret rooms – a majority of which are hidden from the public in planning proposals.

Those who have fled Hong Kong’s Chinese regime also fear the huge embassy would be used as a base to hunt them down. 

MPs from across the political spectrum have urged the Government to reject China’s application for a new embassy on the site of the former Royal Mint, citing security concerns.

This week a group of Labour MPs sent a letter to Communities Secretary Steve Reed, raising ‘significant and unresolved’ concerns about security.

But Downing Street has insisted that national security issues linked to the Chinese super-embassy planning application had been ‘considered and addressed’. 

Today several Conservative MPs, including Iain Duncan Smith and Mark Francois, joined protesters to express their opposition to the embassy.

Duncan Smith said China poses the greatest threat to the UK of any country in the world.

‘Russia would not have invaded Ukraine without China,’ he told the crowd. ‘The British government needs to recognise that threat.

‘Keir Starmer is weak and China knows that.’

He added: ‘I am here because I am with you and I believe in freedom.

‘This embassy is a blister on the face of freedom in the United Kingdom.’ 

On X, he said the government ‘is acting recklessly’ by moving towards approving the building, and said it would be a ‘disaster for the UK’.

Danny Kruger MP, who recently defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK, also addressed the crowd.

He said: ‘The Chinese communist party do not believe in freedom. They are spying on you here today.

‘China will carry on spying and trying to harm the west. I say enough to China.’

China has dismissed claims the embassy could be an espionage hub. 

A Whitehall source said this week: ‘The embassy will be approved. It is just a matter of timing. There is a benefit in consolidating the sites China uses into one location.’