Overview

• The three statements by deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins describe Chinese intelligence as highly capable and running large-scale espionage operations against the UK.
• Collins also reiterates the policy to cooperate, compete and challenge with Beijing, stopping short of labeling China an enemy.
• Newly released material cites SO15 claims that internal Conservative politics were fed to a handler called “Alex” and notes that Christopher Cash contributed to China policy advice for Rishi Sunak.
• The CPS says it abandoned the case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry after unfruitful efforts over many months to secure stronger government evidence, with the DPP reportedly telling MPs the file fell just short of the threshold.
• Conservatives call the disclosures insufficient and demand wider “China files,” while a Dominic Cummings claim about breaches of top-secret “Strap” systems is rejected by the Cabinet Office as untrue.