Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has warned that Parliament is vulnerable to foreign actors after charges against two men suspected of spying for China were dropped. Speaking to The Times, Hoyle said the decision effectively gave Beijing “licence to operate” within Parliament.
Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, had denied accusations of providing information prejudicial to the interests of the state under the Official Secrets Act between December 2021 and February 2023. The pair were due to stand trial next month, but charges were dropped on Monday, sparking cross-party criticism.
“As speaker, I take the security of this house incredibly seriously. I believe this leaves the door open to foreign actors trying to spy on the house,” Hoyle said. “This door must be closed hard.” Cash worked as a parliamentary researcher and was director of the China Research Group.
Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, said the case was stopped due to an “evidential failure” and that no outside pressure influenced the decision. He noted that securing a conviction would have required proving China was an “enemy” under the 1911 Official Secrets Act, a law since replaced by the National Security Act 2023.
