Former top civil servant questions Starmer over China spy trial collapse
Starmer challenged over China spy trial collapse
- The trial of two men accused of spying for China collapsed after the government declined to officially label Beijing a threat to national security.
- Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said that the Crown Prosecution Service could not obtain the necessary evidence from the Labour government to proceed with the prosecution.
- Sir Keir Starmer attributed the collapse to the stance of the previous Conservative administration, arguing the trial would have been based on the situation at that time.
- Simon Case, a former Cabinet Secretary, challenged Sir Keir's explanation, highlighting that intelligence chiefs have publicly described China as a threat for years.
- Critics suggested the government's failure to provide evidence might be motivated by a desire to avoid upsetting China, rather than a lack of available information.