Starmer in China: British PM becomes laughing stock at home for going 'cap in hand' to Xi Jinping

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced sharp criticism in Parliament as opposition MPs accused him of going “cap in hand to China” for a trade deal while abandoning earlier tough rhetoric on Beijing, including allegations of spying. With Starmer in Beijing, Deputy PM David Lammy defended the visit during Prime Minister’s Questions, insisting engagement with China was a strategic necessity aligned with allies such as the US and France. Critics linked the trip to the government’s recent approval of a controversial Chinese “super-embassy” in London, despite security concerns. The row comes amid domestic political pressure on Starmer and renewed scrutiny of Labour’s China policy.