Police Search Home of Former Labour MP's Husband in China Spying Investigation
James Robinson, the husband of former Labour MP Gloria De Piero, has confirmed that police officers conducted a search of their home on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged Chinese spying ring. Robinson, a former aide to ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, stated that he was not detained, arrested, or questioned during the operation, which was executed under a warrant.
Details of the Police Raid and Statements
In a formal statement, Robinson clarified the situation, saying, "I can confirm that police officers visited my home yesterday with a search warrant. I understand their attendance was part of enquiries into those arrested and questioned over matters allegedly relating to China." He emphasised that he has no involvement in the investigation, adding, "I would like to make it absolutely clear that I have neither been detained, arrested nor questioned in connection with this, or any other, matter."
Gloria De Piero, who served as the MP for Ashfield and held positions in the shadow cabinet under leaders Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn, left the Commons in 2019. She now works as a senior adviser at her husband's firm, Woburn Partners. There is no indication that De Piero was targeted in the search, which is understood to have focused solely on her husband.
Broader Context of the Investigation
This incident marks Robinson as the fourth individual with Labour connections to be named in relation to the probe. Anti-terror police arrested three other individuals on Wednesday: David Taylor, 39, Matthew Aplin, 43, and Steve Jones, 68. All were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act and have since been released on bail.
- David Taylor, husband of Labour MP Joani Reid, previously served as a special adviser to Labour peer Peter Hain and later worked as a lobbyist for Earthcott, a company linked to the Labour business group SME4Labour.
- Matthew Aplin has a background as an adviser to Labour in Wales.
- Steve Jones was an adviser to former Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones and ex-Labour chief whip Hilary Armstrong.
In response to the arrests, Joani Reid announced she would temporarily step down from the parliamentary Labour party, while Taylor has been suspended from the party pending further investigation. A Labour spokesperson commented, "These are incredibly serious allegations. We cannot comment further while the police investigation is ongoing."
Additional Searches and Reactions
On Thursday, police also searched the Cardiff home of Martin Shipton, 72, the associate editor at the Nation Cymru website. Shipton described the early morning raid as a "kafkaesque nightmare where I was unaware of what was going on." He has not been arrested but provided a voluntary statement regarding a trip to Hong Kong he attended with David Taylor, whom he has known for 25 years.
The investigation continues to unfold, with authorities focusing on potential espionage activities linked to China. The involvement of multiple figures with ties to the Labour party underscores the gravity and complexity of the case, which has sparked significant political and public interest.
