Stanley Johnson hosts Chinese ambassador for lunch at his London home

PM’s family accused of being ‘in bed with the Chinese Communist Party’ as Boris Johnson’s father hosts Beijing’s ambassador for lunch at his London home

  • Stanley Johnson hosted China’s ambassador for lunch at his London home
  • The PM’s father says he was ‘delighted to entertain’ the Beijing diplomat
  • But Nigel Farage questions the closeness of the Johnson family to China
  • He and Mr Johnson have previously clashed over his ties to Beijing 

The Prime Minister’s father, Stanley Johnson, has again been caught up in a feud with Nigel Farage over his links to Beijing.

Mr Johnson this week revealed on his Instagram account he had hosted China’s ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang, and the diplomat’s wife, Hua Mei, for lunch at his London home.

He said he was ‘delighted to entertain’ the Chinese couple and his other guests. 

But the social media picture shared by Mr Johnson of himself and his guests prompted Mr Farage, the former UKIP and Brexit Party leader, to question the closeness of the Johnson family and China’s regime.

He posted on Twitter: ‘Even in these times it is good to see the Johnson family are still in bed with the Chinese Communist Party.’

It is not the first time that Mr Farage, now a presenter on GB News, and Mr Johnson have clashed over his ties to Beijing.

Stanley Johnson said he was ‘delighted to entertain’ the Chinese couple and his other guests. He shared a photo of himself with China’s ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang (far left), and the diplomat’s wife, Hua Mei (left of Mr Johnson)

Nigel Farage, the former UKIP and Brexit Party leader, questioned the closeness of the Johnson family and China’s regime

In November last year, after the PM’s father posted a photo on his Instagram page of a meeting at the Chinese Embassy, Mr Farage asked: ‘Why is the PM’s father at the Chinese Embassy yet again?’

He has also previously questioned whether Mr Johnson ‘financially benefits’ from China – a suggestion the PM’s father has branded wrong and ‘totally unforgivable’.

Commenting on his embassy visit in November, Mr Johnson at the time revealed he had been seeking permission from the Chinese to complete an expedition he started 60 years ago to travel in the footsteps of Venetian adventurer and merchant Marco Polo.

Months earlier, Mr Johnson used a newspaper interview to describe how he has ‘what the French would call a préjugé favorable towards China’.

The 81-year-old told The Sunday Times it was ‘vital’ to speak face-to-face with China in the lead-up to the COP-26 summit. 

But he also acknowledged there were issues with China’s human rights record, adding: ‘I know there’s problems as far as Uighurs are concerned. It’s right to draw attention to that.’

The PM has previously described himself as ‘fervently Sinophile’, although many of his Conservative MPs are openly critical of China’s regime and want to loosen ties with Beijing.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid today confirmed plans to ban the NHS in England from using goods and services linked to slavery and human trafficking.

This would prevent the NHS buying equipment worth billions from parts of China where it is claimed forced labour is used in supply chains.

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