Sir Keir Starmer has blamed the previous Conservative government for the collapse of a major trial involving alleged Chinese spies. The Prime Minister said "all the focus" should be on the Tories who were in power when the alleged offences occurred.
The case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry - both former parliamentary researchers who denied charges under the Official Secrets Act - was dropped on 15 September. The country's chief prosecutor said ministers had failed to provide crucial evidence needed to proceed with the trial.
Evidence refusal causes collapse
Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson revealed his office had tried "over many months" to obtain evidence showing China posed a threat to national security. Despite the efforts, this critical evidence was not forthcoming from Starmer's administration.
Speaking during a trade trip to India, Starmer defended the government's position. "We were disappointed that the trial didn't proceed, but the position is very clear that the trial would have had to take place on the basis of the situation as it was at the time under the previous Tory government," he said.
The former director of public prosecutions added: "Now that's not a political to and fro, that's a matter of law. You have to prosecute people on the basis of the circumstances at the time of the alleged offence."
Political backlash grows
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch launched a fierce attack on the government's handling of the case. "Labour deliberately collapsed the trial of two men accused of spying on MPs for China, because the Prime Minister wants to suck up Beijing," she claimed during her party conference speech.
Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake demanded answers from the Prime Minister. "Keir Starmer does need to explain himself to Parliament and to the country," he told PA news agency, describing it as part of a concerning pattern of behaviour regarding China.
Senior Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, who previously employed Cash, called for transparency. "The Government must come clean - who is responsible for spiking the prosecution?" she asked.
Parliament showdown ahead
Two MPs have confirmed they will apply for an urgent question when Parliament returns from its conference break on Monday. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who has serious concerns about the China case, would need to approve any such request.
The government has consistently described China as a "sophisticated and persistent challenge" but has stopped short of labelling it a direct threat. Critics suggest this reluctance stems from Starmer's attempts to build economic relations with the world's second-largest economy.
Legal expert Nick Vamos questioned the official explanation for the case's collapse, saying "the explanation from the DPP still doesn't add up" and that it was "hard to fathom" why the government refused to provide the necessary evidence.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
