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41m ago

UK Releases China Spy Case Statements as MI5 Flags Daily Threat and Parliament Opens Inquiry

Prosecutors dropped charges after failing to obtain witness wording that China was a national security threat at the time of the alleged offences.

Director General of MI5 Ken McCallum delivers the annual Director General's Speech at Thames House, the headquarters of the UK's Security Service, in London, Britain, October 16, 2025. Jonathan Brady/Pool via REUTERS
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Director General of MI5 Sir Ken McCallum delivers the annual Director General's Speech at Thames House, the security service's headquarters in London, on Thursday October 16, 2025.

Overview

  • Downing Street published three witness statements by deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins that describe highly capable Chinese intelligence services conducting large‑scale espionage against the UK and set out a desire for a positive relationship with Beijing.
  • The CPS said the case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry could not proceed because, despite months of requests, it did not receive evidence stating China represented a national security threat during 2021–23, as required by a revised legal test.
  • MI5 director general Ken McCallum said Chinese state actors pose a threat to UK security every day, confirmed a China‑related threat was disrupted within the last week, and voiced frustration at the collapsed prosecution.
  • Keir Starmer denied any ministerial interference and said it would have been improper to intervene once prosecutors moved to withdraw the case, as opposition figures demanded fuller disclosure and queried the inclusion of Labour's 'three Cs' policy language in a 4 August statement.
  • Parliamentary scrutiny has escalated, with the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy launching a formal inquiry and other committees seeking explanations from the DPP, while the defendants maintain their innocence and currently face no charges.