Britain | Britain and China

A spy for China in Britain’s Parliament?

Politicians’ attitudes towards China are only likely to harden

The Houses of Parliament, and freshly painted orbs, seen from inside the Elizabeth Tower
Image: Panos

THE NEWS that a parliamentary researcher had been arrested on suspicion of spying for China seemed like a throwback to the cold war when the Soviet Union would recruit young men and women as agents. The Sunday Times, which broke the story, said the aide previously had access to MPs including Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, and Alicia Kearns, who heads the foreign-affairs select committee. Both are known for hawkish stances on China. Though the suspect denied all, the case focused attention on how Britain should engage with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “The quiet Briton”

From the September 16th 2023 edition

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