Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Labour MP Simon Danczuk pulled out of a parliamentary visit to China after being told he would have to fly economy class, it has been reported.
The Evening Standard newspaper says the Rochdale Member of Parliament withdrew from the fact-finding delegation after a request to upgrade his seat was turned down.
Mr Danczuk told the newspaper that the claims were “nonsense”.
The trip, organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group on China, was subsequently cancelled because Mr Danczuk’s withdrawal made the visit unviable, the group’s chair said.
Conservative MP Richard Graham said the state of affairs was “disappointing”.
“If members want to upgrade to business class at their own costs, they are welcome to do so,” he told the Standard.
But Mr Danczuk said: “If the details had been communicated more clearly earlier on then I would have made it clear I was unable to attend. As I only reviewed the full itinerary a few days before travel, I was forced to pull out at the last minute. Any suggestion that I am responsible for the cancellation of the trip is nonsense.”
A number of MPs went on a previous APPG China trip to China in September with sponsorship from John Swire & Sons, HSBC, City of London, Cambridge Assessment, and Arup.
In that case, individual MPs each recorded £1,872 donations in the form of flights, £404 for accommodation, £179 for domestic transport, £205 in hospitality expenses, £322 in “other” expenses.
The total donations recorded for each MP was just under £3,000 each, according to the House of Commons register of interests.
The stated purpose of that visit was to “maintain and strengthen relations between the UK Parliament and the National People’s Congress of China; to learn about and support British businesses operating in China; and to deepen the knowledge and understanding of parliamentarians of China”.
The Government has gone out of its way to court Chinese investment in the UK, culminating in a visit by the country’s president Xi Jinping last month.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments