Overview
- Hundreds rallied at Royal Mint Court with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and MPs from multiple parties urging the government to block the plan.
- Recent reporting cites unredacted drawings that show 208 basement rooms and a concealed chamber near key fibre‑optic cables serving the City and Canary Wharf.
- Officials say the planning decision will be made independently with national security considered, and former security chiefs argue a single site could aid counterintelligence.
- China rejects espionage claims as baseless and says the project aims to promote understanding and cooperation, while exiled activists warn of surveillance and intimidation.
- Residents’ groups and campaigners prepare legal challenges if approval is granted, as multiple outlets report the government is expected to green‑light the project by the deadline.