Overview
- New letters to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy state deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins removed the word “enemy” from his 2023 draft because it did not reflect government policy at the time.
- Collins and national security adviser Jonathan Powell say Counter Terrorism Police and the CPS were informed of that position in December 2023, and that the final draft was sent to then-prime minister Rishi Sunak, the only politician to see it.
- The CPS dropped charges in September against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, saying it lacked government evidence that China was a national‑security threat at the time of the alleged offences under the Official Secrets Act.
- Attorney General Richard Hermer and Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald told MPs that ministers did not intervene in the provision of evidence after charging, and that the AG was informed of the CPS decision on September 3 but did not direct the case.
- DPP Stephen Parkinson told the committee the case failed because Collins would not say China posed a current threat, noting that deleted ‘enemy’ references in drafts reviewed in July 2025 would likely have been disclosable to the defence, and he and Collins will testify next week.