Jonathan Powell will appear before parliament for the first time amid questions about his role in the collapse of a trial of two Britons accused of spying for China. Keir Starmer’s national security adviser is due to be quizzed by senior parliamentarians at a private hearing of the joint committee on the national security strategy in the coming weeks. Powell’s appearance will mark the end of a year-long standoff between the committee and ministers, who refused for months to make him available for scrutiny before parliament. The prime minister’s spokesperson…
Tag: Politics
Term ‘disabled’ being used too widely, shadow work and pensions secretary says – UK politics live
From 44m ago Helen Whately, shadow work and pensions secretary, suggests term ‘disabled’ being applied too widely if 25% of people qualify Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, has suggested the term “disabled” is being over-used if it applies to around a quarter of people. She made the claim in her speech in which she defended the Tory plan to cut benefits – which the party now says could save £23bn a year. (See 8.09am.) She said: We are here because we know we have a really important…
China threatened to retaliate against UK over foreign influence rules
China threatened to retaliate against the UK government if ministers targeted parts of its security apparatus under foreign influence rules, the Guardian can disclose. Chinese officials warned the Foreign Office that the move would have negative consequences for relations soon after the Guardian reported it was under consideration, according to two government sources with knowledge of the discussions. The disclosure will raise alarm bells given that ministers have so far refused to apply stricter foreign influence rules on lobbyists acting for China or any part of the Chinese state. Only…
Badenoch says her migration plan ‘credible’, but won’t say where 150,000 people a year being removed will go – UK politics live
From 3h ago Badenoch says her migration plan ‘credible’, but won’t say where 150,000 people a year being removed will go Badenoch is now being asked about her removals plan. Asked where she would deport 150,000 a year to, Badenoch says “not here”. They do not belong here. They are committing crimes. They are hurting people. We have been trying to deport so many people and have been facing obstacles in the legal system. That’s why we’re leaving the ECHR … I’m tired of us asking asking all of these…
Watchdog cleared ex-Tory minister to work for offshoot of firm linked to China surveillance
A government watchdog advised a former minister that he could work with a subsidiary of a company linked to Chinese surveillance technology, the Guardian can reveal. Richard Fuller, who served as economic secretary to the Treasury in the governments of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, wrote to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) before joining Investcorp Securities as an advisory board member in 2023. Fuller, 63, is now shadow chief secretary to the Treasury and is due to speak at several events at the Conservative party’s annual conference, which…
Starmer on horns of dilemma over China’s seven-year mega-embassy saga
In 2018, a prime piece of real estate near the Tower of London that was once home to a Cistercian abbey and later became the historic manufacturing site for British coins was sold to the Chinese government. The £255m deal, brokered by Eddie Lister, one of Boris Johnson’s closest aides, provided China with a site to build a new diplomatic complex stretching across 20,000 square metres. China’s then ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, expressed hopes that the deal would “write a new chapter for a China-UK golden era”. But over the seven…
China’s fifth-ranking official was suspect in dropped Westminster spy case
British prosecutors suspected that China’s fifth most senior official was in receipt of intelligence from Westminster in a controversial and now-abandoned espionage case, the Guardian understands. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in April 2024 that a “senior member of the Chinese Communist party and a politburo member” had received “politically sensitive information” from two British researchers who were charged with spying for China. That person is understood to be Cai Qi, a member of the standing committee of the CCP politburo. The committee is the ruling body of the…
The aide, the associate and the ‘Chinese agent’ – and the collapse of a long-awaited UK spy trial
Shortly before 10am on Monday, the Conservative MP Alicia Kearns received an unwelcome phone call. “I don’t know how to tell you this,” said the specialist police officer on the line. Ten minutes later the Old Bailey heard what Kearns now knew. A long-awaited trial of two men – a former parliamentary aide to Kearns, Christopher Cash, and an associate, Christopher Berry – accused of spying for China was to be abandoned. “The cops were equally disappointed,” Kearns told the Guardian. The trial had been expected to be an extraordinary…
Parliament vulnerable to ‘foreign actors’ after China spying charges dropped, Commons speaker says
The UK parliament has been left vulnerable to “foreign actors” after charges against two men suspected of spying for China were dropped, the speaker of the House of Commons has warned. Speaking to the Times, Lindsay Hoyle said the decision to drop the charges effectively gave Beijing “licence to operate” within parliament. Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, had denied accusations of providing information prejudicial to the interests of the state in breach of the Official Secrets Act between December 2021 and February 2023. The men were due to…
Top Starmer aide resigns over explicit Diane Abbott messages in further blow to PM – UK politics live
From 20h ago No 10 director of strategy resigns over revelation about sexually explicit comments about Diane Abbott in private email in 2017 Keir Starmer has been hit by a fresh Downing Street resignation. Paul Ovenden has resigned as director of strategy at No 10 over revelations, first published by the Mail, that in 2017 he made sexually explicit comments about Diane Abbott in a private email. Ovenden was a Labour party press officer at the time. In his story for the Mail, Dan Hodges reports: The Mail understands that…