An official delegation from China has reportedly been banned from attending the Queen’s lying in state in Westminster.
The group from Beijing has been refused permission by Commons authorities to attend the lying in state after an intervention by the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, according to reports.
The move comes amid a continuing row over Chinese representation at the funeral of the late monarch, with concerns raised by some Conservative MPs over the extension of an invitation to the country.
Senior Tory MPs Tim Loughton and Iain Duncan Smith this week wrote to the Commons Speaker and Lord Speaker, calling it “extraordinary” that Chinese representatives should have received an invitation.
Both are among the five MPs and two members of the House of Lords sanctioned by the Chinese government for speaking out about the treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities, which China denies.
The UN last month accused China of “serious human rights violations” in a long-awaited report into allegations of abuse in Xinjiang province.
Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle reportedly told colleagues he declined a request for the delegation to be allowed access to Westminster Hall, where crowds continue to pay their respects to the Queen ahead of her funeral on Monday.
A House of Commons spokesman said “we do not comment on security matters”.
The letter to the Speaker from Tory politicians, also signed by crossbench peer Lord Alton and Labour peer Baroness Kennedy, said: “We are greatly concerned to hear that the Government of China has been invited to attend the state funeral next week, despite other countries Russia, Belarus and Myanmar being excluded.
However, China’s vice-president is expected to attend Monday’s state funeral which will be held across the road from Parliament at Westminster Abbey.
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