Overview

• No. 10 said neither ministers nor officials played any role in the CPS decision, which prosecutors said was taken because the evidential test under the Official Secrets Act was no longer met.
• Government spokespeople said any official evidence would have reflected the 2021–23 China policy set under the previous Conservative administration after reports claimed officials refused to label China an 'enemy'.
• Jonathan Powell, the prime minister’s national security adviser, will appear at a private session of parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy in the coming weeks.
• The Intelligence and Security Committee plans to take secret evidence from MI5 about the collapsed case before deciding on any further investigation, The Times reported.
• Further reporting said Beijing warned of retaliation over tighter foreign influence rules, the Commons Speaker is weighing a private prosecution, and ministers point to the National Security Act as the framework for future prosecutions.