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5h ago

Starmer’s China Spy Case Rationale Challenged by Ex-Top Officials as PM Denies Ministerial Role

Prosecutors say the case collapsed because they could not secure testimony that China was a threat at the time required under a recent court interpretation of the Official Secrets Act.

Chris Cash, a parliamentary aide, arriving at the Old Bailey on Saturday
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 18: UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of China, at the Sheraton Hotel, as he attends the G20 summit in on November 18, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Keir Starmer is attending his first G20 Summit since he was elected Prime Minister of the UK. He is expected to hold talks with President Xi Jinping of China, the first time a UK PM has done so for six years. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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Christopher Berry, left, and Christopher Cash, right, were declared not guilty last month when the case collapsed

Overview

  • Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson told MPs the CPS spent months seeking witness statements confirming China was a national security threat at the time of the alleged offences, but none did so after a High Court ruling tightened the legal test.
  • Keir Starmer said the evidential position had to reflect the previous Conservative government’s stance in 2021–2023 and insisted no ministers in his government were involved in decisions about what evidence was provided.
  • Former cabinet secretaries Simon Case and Mark Sedwill questioned the government’s explanation, noting intelligence chiefs had long publicly described China as a threat, as senior MPs demanded fuller transparency.
  • Multiple reports describe senior Whitehall meetings shortly before the collapse, including the involvement of national security adviser Jonathan Powell, while Downing Street denies any role in quashing the prosecution.
  • The Times reported defence material that undermined key assertions, including that a £600 payment to Chris Cash was for translation work and that some alleged information was publicly available or speculative.