Overview

• The CPS said the prosecution of Chris Cash and Christopher Berry was dropped after it could not obtain a witness to state China was a national security threat during 2021–23, and both men were formally cleared and deny wrongdoing.
• Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said Jonathan Powell had no involvement in the substance or evidence of the case and retains the prime minister’s full confidence, with Powell set to face the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy in private.
• Parliamentary pressure is escalating, with an urgent question expected when MPs return, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle exploring a private prosecution despite significant legal obstacles, and Alicia Kearns calling for sanctions and curbs on a planned London ‘mega-embassy’.
• Former senior officials including Lord Sedwill, Lord Simon Case and ex-MI6 chief Sir John Sawers voiced confusion over the collapse, as legal experts highlight that the Official Secrets Act requires proof the information aided an ‘enemy’ at the time of the alleged offences.
• Reports say the White House has warned the case could affect intelligence sharing, while No 10 rejects claims the government withheld evidence or restricted witnesses and argues any assessment must reflect the previous Conservative government’s stance on China.