Fears of ‘network of Chinese spies in Westminster’ after arrest of parliamentary researcher

Security services have sounded the alarm over a potential network of Chinese spies operating in Westminster, after the arrest of a parliamentary researcher suspected of spying for Beijing.

The revelation prompted Rishi Sunak to confront the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, over “unacceptable” interference in Britian’s democracy at the G20.

It came the year after MI5 issued a rare security alert, warning MPs that a suspected Chinese spy called Christine Lee had engaged in "political interference activities" on behalf of China’s ruling communist regime.

The Telegraph said more security service interference alerts have been issued in recent months and said intelligence services were poised to unmask more Chinese spies in the coming months.

It cited Whitehall sources saying suspected foreign spies working in the Commons face being detained under new espionage laws.

It comes as furious Tory MPs lashed out at security services for keeping the arrest of the parliamentary staffer a secret.

MPs who have been sanctioned by Beijing for speaking out against the government’s human rights record said they should have been told about the arrest.

The former private schoolboy, who had worked for a Foreign Affairs Committee member and had links to senior Conservatives including a security minister, worked in parliament for several years, but is believed to have previously worked in China.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who has been sanctioned by China, told The Times: “It’s a remarkably dangerous situation.

“This is a guy who allegedly spies on behalf of the Chinese government in the place where decisions are made and sensitive information is transferred. It is vitally important that he is named because many people who came into contact with this individual will be unaware that he has been arrested on suspicion of espionage. There is a clear public interest.”

Another sanctioned MP told the paper they were “in a complete state of shock” and that all sanctioned MPs should have been told.

A third said: “We didn’t know anything until we read it in the paper. I feel incredibly let down.”

One other MP added: “We need to know how much information from the foreign affairs select committee this man had access to. Alicia didn’t tell anyone. We’re all really p*****d off.”

The suspected spy was arrested along with another man by officers on 13 March. Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, which oversees espionage-related offences, are investigating.

The Briton was reportedly a “skilled networker” rubbing shoulders with ministers, holding regular drinks events and using a dating app, including attempting to organise a date with a political journalist from The Sun.

As calls grew for Britain to adopt a tougher stance on China and officially designate the country a “threat”, business secretary Kemi Badenoch suggested that designating China a threat would "escalate things".

"Whether or not you use words like threat I think is a reflection of how far you want to escalate things," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"China is the second largest economy in the world, it's heavily integrated in our economy as it is with many of our allies... We're taking the same approach that those countries are taking."

Ms Badenoch said the UK was taking certain measures including making sure it has proper investment screening.

"We are taking action, what we're not doing is giving endless running commentary on that because that would actually be more helpful to China than it would be to our security services," she said.

Justice secretary Alex Chalk said on Sunday China is an “epoch-defining challenge” which Britain can’t “wish away”. The minister corrected himself, having at first referred to the country as a “threat”.

The director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Luke de Pulford warned Beijing only “wins twice” from people, demanding someone is fired over the scandal.

“Yes, there should be accountability if there have been failings. But after due process,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “We need an inquiry,” he added.