• The 48 Group Club, packed with businessmen and political figures, is taking legal action against a book which claims China is grooming British establishment
• Stephen Perry, club chairman, is suing to prevent publication of exposé in the UK
• It counts former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine among its founders
• The Times reported that other 'fellows' said they didn't recognise the group 

An influential London club packed with business and political heavyweights is taking legal action against a book which claims Beijing is grooming the British establishment.

The 48 Group Club, which counts former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine among its founders, took down its website after 'Hidden Hand' was published, The Times reported.

Stephen Perry, a businessman and the club's chair, is suing to stop the book from being released in the UK and Canada, the book's Australian co-author Clive Hamilton told the paper.