It had all the makings of a pulpy political thriller. For years, British intelligence had been warning about the growing threat of Chinese influence, from political interference to suspected espionage. Then in 2023, two young British men – a parliamentary researcher and a teacher in China – were arrested and accused of spying for China.
The headlines were dramatic. But days before the trial was due to begin, the entire case collapsed. Dan Sabbagh, the Guardian’s defence and security editor, was shocked. “I was absolutely gobsmacked,” he tells Nosheen Iqbal.
Since then, questions have mounted about why the case fell apart – and what the affair tells us about the relationship between the UK and China.
