Extent of Chinese spying in UK unveiled as government publishes evidence in failed prosecution
The extent of Chinese spying carried out on UK parliamentarians has been unveiled after evidence in the collapsed China spy trial was published.
Three witness statements from the government were released following the ongoing confusion around why the prosecutions collapsed.
Former parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, 30, from Whitechapel, east London, and teacher Christopher Berry, 33, from Witney, Oxfordshire, were charged with passing politically sensitive information to a Chinese intelligence agent between December 2021 and February 2023. They have both denied the allegations.
In the documents, it was revealed that information about internal Tory politics – when the party was in government – was being fed back to a Chinese intelligence handler known as “Alex”, according to counterterrorism command SO15.
Politics latest: Follow live updates
They were written by Matthew Collins, the deputy national security adviser, who has been in post the whole time.
This includes Mr Cash working as a researcher and “directly contributing to the policy advice being provided to Rishi Sunak”.
The evidence adds: “It is axiomatic that this is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK for the Chinese state to have indirect access to one of the individuals providing policy advice to the now prime minister on China, with the potential to influence that advice.”
The prosecution of Mr Cash and Mr Berry collapsed in the past few weeks – with the director of public prosecutions saying it had not received enough evidence from the government to proceed.
This related to whether China could be considered an “enemy” under the Official Secrets Act 1911.
In the most recent document from Mr Collins, dated 4 August this year, he quotes the Labour manifesto in saying the government position, saying: “It is important for me to emphasise, however, that the UK government is committed to pursuing a positive relationship with China to strengthen understanding, cooperation and stability.
“The government’s position is that we will co-operate where we can; compete where we need to; and challenge where we must, including on issues of national security.”
While the statements repeatedly highlight the “threat” of China to the UK, they also speak of the importance of the trading relationship, and do not use the word “enemy”.
The publication of the documents comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed he would do so in parliament at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday.
It is the latest step following the collapsed prosecution of two alleged Chinese spies.
The prime minister had previously said the government would not publish the evidence as it would not have been allowed by the CPS – before the CPS then denied this was the case.
Read more on China controversy
Accusations of ‘cover-up’ over collapse of trial
PM has ‘full confidence’ in national security adviser
Starmer denies ministers involved in trial collapse
Speaking at PMQs, Sir Keir said: “Last night, the Crown Prosecution Service clarified that, in their view, the decision whether to publish the witness statements of the DNSA [deputy national security adviser] is for the government.
“I have therefore carefully considered this question this morning, and after legal advice, I have decided to publish the witness statement.”
Opponents of the government have accused it of deliberately collapsing the trial – something Downing Street has denied.
Stephen Parkinson, the head of the CPS, said in a statement the prosecution was dropped after attempts to get more evidence from the government “over many months” proved unfruitful.
