When Gu Kailai appears in court on Thursday, it will be the most anticipated trial in China since the Gang of Four took the stand in 1981 over their role in the Cultural Revolution.

The wife of disgraced politician Bo Xilai is accused of poisoning Neil Heywood, a Briton who acted as a fixer for the Chinese family. The case prompted the purge of Mr Bo, the former Chongqing Communist party chief who had been a contender for promotion to the politburo standing committee.

Given the assumption that Ms Gu will be found guilty, experts say the interesting question is what the trial means for Mr Bo who has not been seen since April. “The key question in this case is whether the verdict will mention Bo Xilai and make this case openly political,” said Yu Hui, a lawyer familiar with Chongqing. “There have been such fierce internal party struggles about this.”