Two men have been arrested under the Official Secrets Act on suspicion of spying for China, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed. One of the suspects, a parliamentary researcher in his 20s, is reported to have had access to several Conservative MPs, including security minister Tom Tugendhat and foreign affairs committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns.
The arrests took place in March at addresses in Oxfordshire and Edinburgh, with a third property in east London also searched. Both men were released on police bail until early October. The Met's Counter Terrorism Command, which oversees espionage-related offences, is leading the investigation.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raised concerns about Chinese interference during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the G20 summit in India, according to Downing Street. A spokesperson said Sunak 'conveyed his significant concerns about Chinese interference in the UK's parliamentary democracy'.
The Sunday Times reported that the researcher had lived in China for a period and had access to Tugendhat before he became security minister last September. Tugendhat is said to have had only limited contact with the man and no dealings with him as a minister.
The arrests have reignited debate over UK-China relations, with Conservative MPs calling for a tougher stance. Iain Duncan Smith said it was 'time for us to recognise the deepening threat that the Chinese Communist Party under Xi now pose', while Tim Loughton described it as 'further evidence of how far the tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party reach into British institutions'.
China has denied any involvement in espionage or political interference. The UK's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Beijing less than two weeks ago, stating that disengagement from China would not be 'credible'. Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee warned in July that the government had been slow to address security risks from Beijing.
