Labour minister Dan Jarvis took a swipe at the Tories’ approach to China, hilariously reminding them of David Cameron’s infamous pint with President Xi Jinping.
Tory Criticism Backfires
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of being “sycophantic” in his recent meeting with Xi at the G20 summit. Starmer’s face-to-face talks marked the first direct meeting between a UK PM and the Chinese leader in six years, as the government attempts to navigate the tricky waters of Sino-British relations.
Philp declared: “Given what we’ve learned and what we know, these very close relations which the prime minister is apparently attempting may not be wise. And the rather sycophantic tone that the prime minister took with President Xi at the G20 a few weeks ago may not be very wise in light of what we now know.”
A Pint-Sized Comeback
Enter Dan Jarvis. Rising to respond, the security minister gently but devastatingly hit back: “In terms of the approach to China, I don’t agree with his characterisation of the prime minister’s recent meeting, and I would just say very gently to him—at least he didn’t take him to the pub for a pint.”
The Commons erupted at the reminder of the time in 2015 when then-Prime Minister David Cameron famously treated Xi Jinping to a pint at a pub near Chequers, declaring a “golden era” of UK-China relations. It’s an image that has aged about as well as a warm pint of ale.
Lessons From The Past
The debate was part of a broader Commons discussion on the recent espionage allegations involving a Chinese businessman, Yang Tengbo, linked to Prince Andrew. Yang, who denies the claims and professes his “love” for Britain, has sparked renewed scrutiny over the UK’s dealings with Beijing.
Starmer addressed the row, stating that the government is “concerned about the challenge that China poses” but added that it won’t prevent the UK from working with China on key issues in the future.
A Long Memory in Politics
Dan Jarvis’ quip about the pub pint highlights the uncomfortable legacy of past Tory governments’ “golden era” of engagement with China. With tensions rising over security concerns, the memory of Cameron raising a glass with Xi is proving to be a political headache for the Conservatives, one laugh at a time.
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