Calls for inquiry grow after China spy case dismissed in Britain
Prosecutors drop espionage case against two Britons; lawmakers weigh private action and a formal inquiry amid fears Britain could be a soft target for foreign espionage
The espionage case involving two Britons accused of passing secrets to Beijing was unexpectedly dropped, triggering renewed calls for a formal inquiry and raising fears that Britain could be a soft target for foreign intelligence services.
Chris Cash, 30, and Chris Berry, 33, were arrested in 2023 and charged under the Official Secrets Act. Cash — described as the director of an influential China policy group — and Berry denied the charges. The men were due to stand trial next month when Prosecutor Tom Little KC told the Old Bailey that "we simply cannot continue to prosecute this case." The decision to halt the prosecution comes as Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, faced questions over the abrupt dismissal just weeks before the case would have reached the courts.
Sources familiar with the matter told the Daily Mail that the Government might have wanted to avoid the deputy national security adviser giving evidence in court, an appearance that would have required him to declare in court that the United Kingdom had labelled China a hostile state. That prospect, according to the sources, could have been politically embarrassing at a time when Labour is seeking to rebuild relations with Beijing, with Sir Keir Starmer expected to visit next year.
Shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns called for a formal inquiry, saying the episode risked "sending a troubling signal to hostile states engaged in espionage against the UK that Parliament is a soft target." MPs have since begun consulting lawyers about possible private actions, including a breach-of-privacy case against the suspects.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is reportedly weighing a private prosecution, and there are discussions among some MPs about pursuing legal avenues to hold the men to account for information disclosure. The development has sparked anger within parts of the parliamentary and policing communities, who see the decision as potentially undermining public confidence in investigations into espionage.
Labour, meanwhile, has signaled that it wants to maintain channels with Beijing, adding political sensitivity to the case as it navigates national security concerns ahead of any future foreign visits and policy shifts. A party source noted that Labour leaders have indicated a cautious approach to China policy during ongoing efforts to rebuild bilateral ties.
Cash, for his part, told reporters that his arrest has "destroyed my life and the career I loved," underscoring the personal toll of the allegations and the rapid reversal of a case that had been advancing through the courts.
Police and prosecutors are expected to face scrutiny over the decision to halt proceedings so close to trial, with questions about whether sufficient evidence existed to sustain the charges and whether strategic considerations influenced the timing. The Old Bailey filing on Monday marked a rare turn in a case that prosecutors had set out as an important test of how Britain handles espionage allegations involving Chinese interests.
As Parliament weighs the potential for private enforcement and an independent inquiry, officials acknowledge the wider implications for national security policy and Parliament's oversight of intelligence operations. For now, the immediate matter remains the sudden end to the case against Cash and Berry, and the broader question of how Britain guards against foreign interference while managing diplomatic sensitivities with Beijing.