CPS says China is spying on Parliament even as case dropped against Beijing agents
Crown Prosecution Service acknowledges espionage activity linked to Beijing; charges dropped against two suspected Beijing agents
LONDON — The Crown Prosecution Service acknowledged that China is spying on Parliament, even as it dropped a case against two men accused of acting for Beijing. A senior CPS official told a member of Parliament that the research group she led was targeted by China to obtain information on Government policies. Chief Crown Prosecutor Frank Ferguson said espionage offences are taken very seriously because acts that target MPs threaten the democratic process and public service.
Ferguson informed Tory security spokeswoman Alicia Kearns that prosecutors had concluded the charges against Christopher Cash, 30, a former parliamentary aide, and Christopher Berry, 33, a British teacher, must be abandoned because the evidential standard for the offence indicted is no longer met. Cash and Berry had been arrested in 2023 and accused of collecting information 'for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state' and denied breaching the Official Secrets Act; they were due to stand trial before the case was dropped on Monday.
Ms Kearns questioned why the charges were dropped, saying the CPS needed to explain whether witnesses or evidence had been withdrawn and by whom. 'What witnesses or evidence was withdrawn, and by whom?' she asked. In the same letter, Ferguson noted that the evidential standard had not been met, and Kearns argued that the CPS appears to be gagged or reluctant to explain why the case is not proceeding.
Some MPs warned the move could embolden hostile states to target lawmakers. Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has said he is considering pursuing a private prosecution. The Daily Mail’s reporting tied to the case suggested ministers were wary of having the deputy national security adviser testify, a development seen by some as evidence of tensions as the government works to rebuild relations with Beijing. The episode underscores ongoing concerns about foreign interference in UK politics and Parliament's security posture.