An official delegation from China has reportedly been banned from attending Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state in London’s Westminster Hall.
Reports by BBC, said the House of Commons authorities have refused to allow representatives of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime to set foot in the hall, which is part of the parliamentary premises.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle intervened to deny Chinese officials access to the hall as British lawmakers remain sanctioned by the Chinese regime, a parliamentary source told the PA news agency.
Downing Street also declined to comment. Asked about Prime Minister Liz Truss’s view on the issue, a Number 10 spokesperson said: “Admission to Parliament is a matter for Parliament.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a briefing in Beijing that she had not yet seen the report.
But she said, “As the host, the United Kingdom should uphold diplomatic protocols and proper manners to guests.”
The Chinese regime imposed sanctions in March 2021 on seven UK parliamentarians for speaking out against Beijing’s treatment of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.
