From 24m ago Security minister Dan Jarvis answers urgent question on China spy case Dan Jarvis, the security minister, is responding to an urgent question on the China spy case in the Commons. He say the decision to drop the prosecution was taken by the CPS. He says the PM was only told about that a few days before the decision it was announced, and at that point there was nothing that he or other ministers could do to stop that. Share <gu-island name="KeyEventsCarousel" priority="feature" deferuntil="visible" props="{"keyEvents":[{"id":"68f64c3e8f08ae83a2058417","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" Chris Philp, the…
Tag: Bridget Phillipson
Ministers plan high-level visits to China despite espionage trial outcry
Ministers are pushing ahead with their reset of relations with China, including several planned high-level visits before the end of the year, despite the furore triggered by the collapse of a high-profile espionage trial. Plans have been drawn up for Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, to travel to Beijing in November for talks before an anticipated trip by Keir Starmer next year. Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, and Patrick Vallance, the science minister, are also expected to travel to China on government business before the end of the year.…
Jonathan Powell had no role in dropping of China spy case, senior minister says
The government’s national security adviser had no involvement in the prosecution being dropped against two British men accused of spying for China, a senior cabinet minister has said. Jonathan Powell had no connection to discussions about the “substance or the evidence” of the case, Bridget Phillipson said on Sunday, adding that Keir Starmer had full confidence in him. Powell’s role has been under intense scrutiny since it emerged that the sudden abandonment of the prosecution in September appeared to be because Starmer’s government was unwilling to say that China posed…