China allowed to attend lying-in-state

Chinese leaders will be invited to attend the Queen’s lying-in-state, the UK Parliament has now confirmed.

This is despite some MPs saying they were assured this week by the Commons Speaker that a Chinese delegation would not be welcome in Westminster Hall, sources told the BBC.

China’s ambassador to the UK is barred from the UK Parliament over Chinese sanctions on five MPs and two peers.

That ban will stay in place but will not be extended to other officials.

The BBC said it understood the Chinese delegation would be banned from Westminster Hall, after following up the story first reported on the Politico website.

Some MPs sanctioned by China then indicated that they had been assured by the Commons Speaker that a Chinese delegation would not be given access to Westminster Hall.

On Friday, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, believing the ambassadorial ban had been extended to all representatives of the Chinese state, said he would like to “applaud” Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

“He’s standing firm, and I think the government should have stood firm as well,” he told BBC News.

Sir Ian was one of five MPs placed under Chinese sanctions last year for accusing Beijing of mistreating Uyghur Muslims.

Sir Iain and other senior parliamentarians have been urging Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to withdraw the invitation extended to the Chinese government to attend the Queen’s funeral.

Asked if the Chinese delegation would in fact be banned from Westminster Hall, a Parliamentary spokesperson said: “The head of states (or their representatives) who have been invited to attend the state funeral in Westminster Abbey are also invited to attend the lying-in-state in Westminster Hall.”

Sir Lindsay has declined to comment on access to Westminster Hall, telling the BBC on Friday: “It’s better I don’t comment because everything has security implications. It would be wrong of me to do so.”

Control of Westminster Hall is shared between the Lord Great Chamberlain – who is appointed by the monarch – and the speakers of both the Commons and the Lords.

It is not the sole jurisdiction of the Commons Speaker, particularly when Buckingham Palace and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are involved, as they are during major state occasions.

Last year, China imposed travel bans and asset freezes on nine Britons – including the seven parliamentarians.

That led to China’s ambassador being banned from Parliament by Sir Lindsay and House of Lords Speaker Lord McFall.

Queen Elizabeth will lie in state in Westminster Hall until she is buried on Monday.

According to convention, all countries with which the UK has diplomatic relations should be invited to state funerals.

Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Russia and Belarus have not been invited – whilst Iran, North Korea and Nicaragua have been asked to only send a senior diplomat.

China’s President Xi Jinping is on the guest list for the funeral ceremony but is not thought likely to attend.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Friday that no decision had been made on whether they will be sending a delegation, although press reports have suggested China’s vice president will attend.

Reports /TrainViral/