A Chinese government delegation has been banned from attending the lying-in-state of Queen Elizabeth II, BBC News understands.

House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle refused a request for access to Westminster Hall due to Chinese sanctions against five MPs and two peers, Politico first reported.

Queen Elizabeth is set to lie in state there until her funeral on Monday.

The House of Commons told the BBC it did not comment on security matters.

Last year, China imposed travel bans and asset freezes on nine Britons – including seven parliamentarians – for accusing Beijing of mistreating Uighur Muslims.

That led to China’s ambassador to the UK being banned from Parliament – a move which has now been extended to a delegation that wanted to pay their respects at Queen Elizabeth’s lying-in-state.

UK-China relations are already strained and this ban is unlikely to help.

Source:BBC