Keir Starmer insisted he would robustly protect the UK's national interests in response to speculation he will visit China early next year and the country's controversial embassy in London will be approved, reports the PA news agency. The prime minister said that no visit to China had yet been confirmed, while officials refused to comment on speculation about the planned embassy near the Tower of London.
Ministers have delayed a decision on whether to grant planning permission to a proposed Chinese super-embassy in London amid concerns about redacted drawings in the building's plans. The deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, was due to make a decision on 9 September but has pushed this back to 21 October, saying more time is needed to consider the plans for the development, which would occupy a sprawling 20,000 sq metres (5 acres) at Royal Mint Court in east London.