Arrests as parliamentary researcher accused of being spy for China

The researcher has had hyperlinks to a number of senior Tory MPs, together with safety minister Tom Tugendhat and international affairs committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns. He was arrested together with one other man by officers on March 13 on suspicion of spying for Beijing, it was revealed by the Sunday Times.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, which oversees espionage-related offences, are investigating. One of the lads, in his 30s, was detained in Oxfordshire on March 13, whereas the opposite, in his 20s, was arrested in Edinburgh, Scotland Yard mentioned.

Both had been held on suspicion of offences below part one of many Official Secrets Act 1911, which punishes offences which might be mentioned to be “prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state”.

A Met Police spokesperson mentioned: “Searches were also carried out at both the residential properties, as well as at a third address in east London.”

Both men were held at a south London police station until being bailed until early October. Mr Tugendhat is said not to have had any contact with the researcher since before he became security minister in September last year.

Ms Kearns declined to comment, adding: “While I recognise the public interest, we all have a duty to ensure any work of the authorities is not jeopardised.”

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China pressure group said it was “appalled at reports of the infiltration of the UK Parliament by someone allegedly acting on behalf of the People’s Republic of China”.

A source close to Ms Kearns told the PA news agency: “It is inevitable the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would target and seek to undermine Parliament’s leading voices who have demonstrated the ability to constrain the CCP’s ambitions.”

They said that the allegations, if true, would be a “serious escalation and shows the CCP will go to any length to attack thorns in their side”.

The arrests emerged a little over a week after Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Beijing amid criticism from some senior Conservatives, who are critics of China. He insisted the UK would have a “pragmatic” relationship with China to tackle major global issues such as climate change.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, one of the party’s most prominent China hawks, warned of a “deepening threat” being posed by the country under President Xi Jinping. Sir Iain informed PA: “This story gives the lie to the Government’s attempt not to see China as a systemic threat.

“Time for us to recognise the deepening threat that the CCP under Xi now pose. What price was Cleverly’s kowtow visit to Beijing?”

A report from Parliament’s spy company watchdog, the Intelligence and Security Committee, warned in July that Beijing is concentrating on the UK “prolifically and aggressively”. Last 12 months, MI5 issued a uncommon safety alert, warning MPs {that a} suspected Chinese spy referred to as Christine Lee had engaged in “political interference activities” on behalf of China’s ruling communist regime.

Labour MP Barry Gardiner, the previous chairman of the now disbanded Chinese in Britain APPG, obtained greater than £500,000 in donations from her earlier than the warning. Downing Street mentioned it doesn’t touch upon safety issues. The House of Commons has been contacted.