China hawks hit back at Lammy rapprochement

First, it was the Chagos Islands. Then it was David Lammy’s visit. Now many in Westminster are asking: when it comes to China, where does this government draw the line? In recent weeks it has been reported that Labour is both dropping plans to classify Beijing’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims as a ‘genocide’ and is pushing to reopen trade talks via the Jetco forum. So much for getting tough on Xi eh?

Mr S hears word though that already a backlash is under way. The seven current and former parliamentarians who were sanctioned by China in March 2021 have fired off an angry reprimand to Lammy, in the wake of his visit to Beijing. In a letter seen by The Spectator, the likes of Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Tom Tugendhat and Neil O’Brien have co-signed a statement to Lammy addressing rumours of ‘a deal whereby our sanctions might be lifted in exchange for the UK withdrawing sanctions against those who have mercilessly persecuted the Uyghur community’.