MI5 warns MPs they could be targeted by Chinese spies in new ‘espionage alert’
China spying alert as MI5 warns MPs they could be targeted next
- MI5 has issued an "espionage alert" to members of the Houses of Commons and Lords, warning of a significant espionage risk from the Chinese state.
- Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle stated that Chinese state actors are "relentless" in their attempts to interfere with parliamentary processes and influence activity.
- The alert highlights that the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is actively contacting individuals in Parliament, using professional networking sites like LinkedIn and recruitment agents.
- The MSS aims to collect information and establish long-term relationships, with MI5 noting that this activity is targeted and widespread.
- This warning follows the collapse of a previous spying case against two men accused of working for Beijing, after a government official declined to classify China as an active national security threat.