Lord Hermer gives evidence to joint committee on national security strategy about the China spy case Mark Sedwill, the former cabinet secretary and former national security adviser, goes next. He is now a peer, and a member of the committee. He says the deputy national security adviser, Matthew Collins, thought there was enough evidence for the case to go ahead. But the CPS did not agree. Who was right? In 2017, the Law Commission flagged that the term enemy [in the legislation] was deeply problematic and it would give rise…
Tag: Conservatives
Minister insists government will get asylum seekers out of hotels and expects progress ‘within weeks’ – UK politics live
From 4h ago Minister says government committed to getting all asylum seekers out of hotels after report says system ‘chaotic’ Good morning. When Jimmy Carter was US president, he gave a famous address in 1979 saying the country was suffering a crisis of confidence. It became known as the malaise speech, and now it is widely regarded as a mistake, because it was unduly pessimistic and because, in the presidential election the following year, voters turned to the much more upbeat Ronald Reagaan. Yesterday Wes Streeting, the health secretary, had…
China spy case gives MPs the opportunity to discuss their favourite topic: themselves | John Crace
There are few things that MPs take more seriously than themselves. Their desire to put themselves front and centre of world events. Their need to imagine that everything they do makes a difference. No greater self-love hath any person than this. If they were to have a therapist, I am sure they would be having a field day. The triumph of ego over ever-diminishing quantities of self-worth. So the collapse of the Chinese spy trial has been a godsend to almost every opposition MP. Now, you might have thought the…
Minister says Tories should stop ‘throwing mud’ over China spy case and accept their role in its collapse – UK politics live
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…
No 10 says talks happening ‘at pace’ across government to lift ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending Aston Villa match – live
From 2h ago No 10 says talks happening ‘at pace’ across government to get Maccabi fans ban lifted Downing Street has said that discussions are happening “at pace, across government” to resolve the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending the Europa League match in Birmingham. At the morning lobby briefing, a No 10 spokesperson told reporters: Conversations began on this last night. You will have seen the West Midlands police and crime commissioner has asked police and Birmingham’s safety advisory group to immediately review the decision. Culture secretary Lisa…
Government to respond to Commons urgent question on China spy case witness statements – UK politics live
Ex-cyber security chief says Dominic Cummings’ claim about China compromising UK’s biggest secrets ‘categorically untrue’ In a separate China develoment, a former cyber security chief has strongly denied a claim made by Dominic Cummings yesterday about the extent of Chinese infiltration of UK intelligence. In an interview with the Times yesterday, Cummings, Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, recalled a meeting in No 10 when he and the then PM were told about a Chinese hack that led to extremely secret information being compromised. Cummings said: What I’m saying is that…
No 10 moves to end China spy row – but threat of further fallout lingers
When Keir Starmer finally read the witness statement from his deputy national security adviser for the trial of two British men accused of spying for China, some of his frustration about the collapse of the case began to dissipate. His government had been besieged by the Tories for two weeks over its role, being accused of “secretly sabotaging” the trial, “blocking” key witnesses and “hiding behind process”, all to avoid having to tell a court that China was an enemy. Media reports suggested the refusal by the government to describe…
Starmer only read China spy witness statements this morning, No 10 says, as Cleverly accuses PM of misquoting him – as it happened
From 17h ago Starmer only read China spy case witness statements this morning, No 10 says Here are the main lines from the NO 10 post-PMQs lobby briefing. The PM’s spokesperson explained why the government was publishing its China spy case witness statements now, when yesterday officials were saying the CPS were opposed to this. The spokesperson said: Prior to last night, the CPS had made clear that witnesses have an expectation that their evidence will not be publicly discussed in those circumstances. The CPS had also advised that to…
Key witness statement in China spy row to be published, says Starmer
Downing Street will publish a witness statement from the deputy national security adviser that is seen as central to the decision to withdraw spying charges against two British men, Keir Starmer has said. Updating MPs at the start of prime minister’s questions, Starmer said the statement by Matthew Collins would be released after a “short process” to ensure all the information within it could be published. The announcement followed a statement late on Tuesday from the Crown Prosecution Service, which said it had no objection to the release of the…
Starmer to face MPs amid continued pressure over collapse of China spying trial – UK politics live
Parenting advice on social media is often poor quality, says Phillipson Parents who turn to TikTok influencers and Instagram gurus for advice on everything from potty training to childhood vaccination are at risk of falling victim to misleading and poor quality information, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has warned. Sally Weale has the story. Share In the Commons yesterday Kemi Badenoch quoted Mark Elliott, a public law professor at the University of Cambridge, as one of the many experts who have queried the government’s account of why the China spy…