Politics LIVE: Keir Starmer faces Parliament inquiry over collapsed China spy case
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
The Labour Government is facing intense scrutiny over its role in the collapse of the trial of two alleged spies, Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry. They both deny claims that they passed sensitive intelligence on the inner workings of Parliament to the Chinese Communist Party.
Downing Street has branded claims that Prime Minister Sir Keir should have intervened in the case – which collapsed in September – as “frankly absurd”, but Conservatives say it is “shocking that the Prime Minister knew of the imminent collapse of this trial, but did nothing to stop it”.
Parliament has now lauched its own inquiry and the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy is demanding Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, answer questions. Committee member and Labour MP Liam Byrne, a former Cabinet Minister, said: “After days of confusion and contradiction, the public and Parliament deserve straight answers.
“Stephen Parkinson must now come out and explain precisely exactly what happened — in full view, either before parliamentary committees or before the press and preferably both. When it comes to national security we can’t have accountability that’s delegated, and silence will only deepen mistrust.”
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Decision on new Chinese embassy delayed
The Government has postponed a decision on whether to grant China permission for a new London “super embassy”, which Dominic Cummings said he was warned would house a “spy centre”.
It comes after a parliamentary committee urged Housing and Planning Secretary Steve Reed to block the plans, saying they would harm the UK’s security and economic resilience.
The new deadline for Mr Reed to take the decision is December 10.
China hits back in spy row
A Chinese embassy spokesperson said the witness statements published by the Government were “rife with unfounded accusations against China”.
Downing Street insists Keir Starmer not to blame
Downing Street, meanwhile, insisted that Sir Keir Starmer could not have intervened in the case once the CPS notified him it would be withdrawn, for fear of the Government interfering with the course of justice.
Three witness statements provided by deputy national security adviser Mr Collins were published, showing the Government warned of Beijing’s large-scale espionage but stressed the desire to seek a positive relationship with the economic superpower.
Asked why Sir Keir did not intervene when the CPS said it would withdraw the case, given the Government’s evidence described threats China poses to the UK, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The suggestion that the Prime Minister should have stepped in at this point is frankly absurd.
“If he was to do so he would have been interfering in a case related to a previous government, a previous policy, previous legislation.”
MI5 boss says China is a threat to the UK
MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum warned “Chinese state actors” presented a national security threat to the UK “every day”, with the security services having carried out an operation against a threat from Beijing within the last week.
Asked if he was frustrated by the collapse of the case, he said: “Of course I am frustrated when opportunities to prosecute national security threatening activity are not followed through, for whatever reason.”
In a stark warning about Beijing’s spying activities, he also highlighted attempts by China to carry out “cyber espionage”, “clandestine technology transfer”, efforts to “interfere covertly in UK public life” and the “harassment and intimidation of opponents”, including pro-democracy activists.
Duke of York dragged into China say row
It comes as the Duke of York reportedly met Cai Qi, the Chinese official thought to be the recipient of that information, at least three times.
Pressure mounting on director of prosecutions
Pressure is mounting on the director of public prosecutions to explain why the Chinese spying case collapsed as the head of MI5 said he was “frustrated” by the move.
MPs have demanded Stephen Parkinson provide “a fuller explanation for the dropping of charges”, which he blamed on insufficient evidence that China represented a threat to the UK at the time of the alleged offences.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the case against Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry in September, a month before a trial was due to take place.
Both men, who deny wrongdoing, had been accused of passing secrets to Beijing.
