Michelle Dewberry launched a fiery attack on Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp over the controversial China mega-embassy plans, accusing politicians of “hypocrisy” and failing the British public.
The GB News host reminded Mr Philp of a 2018 letter from Boris Johnson in which the then-Prime Minister celebrated post-Brexit economic gains and the potential benefits of closer ties with China.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has greenlit the plans for the building at Royal Mint Court.
Despite widespread criticism from MPs and campaigners over its security implications, Communities Secretary Steve Reed has granted both planning permission and listed building consent for the site near the Tower of London.
Speaking on GB News, Michelle said: “Let me just let you reflect on this, nobody comes out of this well, neither Labour nor the Tories.
“You will recall a letter Boris Johnson sent a few years ago, where he celebrated the post-Brexit economic win and the potential benefits of closer ties with China. As always, the losers in this will be the British citizens, I’m sure.
Mr Philp interrupted: “That was years ago. Times have changed, and no Conservative Government ever gave this planning permission.”
Michelle said: “I don’t think 2023 is that many years ago, actually. And while you didn’t give planning permission, you understand the policy.”
Michelle Dewberry and Chris Philp entered in to a heated row on GB News
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GB NEWS
The Conservative MP said: “Hang on, the Boris letter you’re referring to was 2018.”
Michelle fumed: “And the planning permission lapsed in 2023, Chris, as you yourself know.
Mr Philp hit back: “The Conservatives never gave planning permission in 2023 or at any other time.
Michelle fired: “I know you didn’t, but you didn’t reject it. That’s my point. You certainly didn’t. You’re accurate in what you say you didn’t approve it, but likewise, you didn’t reject it.”
A security sign is displayed on a fence at Royal Mint Court, the proposed site of China’s new UK embassy | GETTY
Mr Philp said: “We didn’t need to reject it because Tower Hamlets did.”
Michelle scolded: “Come off it. What a cop-out. You were at a national level. You’re happy to let these decisions be made by the minions at a local council level on an issue this big, massive.
Mr Philp stubbornly said: “If they had approved it, we could have called it in then. Look, the fact is it didn’t get permission under a Conservative government. That’s the simple fact.”
Michelle closed by saying: “Chris Philp, we do agree the whole thing is ridiculous and should not have been approved. But for now, thank you very much.
After the interview, Michelle added: “I cannot bear hypocrisy. I cannot bear politicians trying to score cheap points off one another when all that happens is the British people are the ones who suffer the consequences.
“We have had decades of political ridiculousness in this country. I wouldn’t mind if people came on here and said, ‘you know what? We got it wrong. We regret setting the ball rolling. We shouldn’t have played our part. And now we regret even more that it’s gone over the hill.’
“But they don’t. They come on and say, ‘that wasn’t me.’ That was somebody else. But I think that is irritating.”
Reform UK says it would “never have approved” the embassy, calling it a security threat.
The head of MI5 says in a letter that the national security threat cannot be wholly eliminated, but he adds the assessment to mitigate risk has been “expert, professional and proportionate”.
A Government spokesman says intelligence agencies had been involved throughout, with an “extensive range of measures” to “manage any risks”.
