Starmer says evidence in collapsed China spy case will be published

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to publish the evidence submitted by the Government as part of the collapsed China spy case.

The Prime Minister said he intends to publish the witness statements prepared by deputy national security adviser (DNSA) Matt Collins in full.

Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative Party has been pressing ministers over their handling of the collapsed trial of Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry.

Both men, who deny wrongdoing, had been accused of passing secrets to China, but charges against them were dropped last month.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the case collapsed because the Government’s evidence did not show that China represented a threat to national security at the time of the alleged offences.

Sir Keir told MPs: “I’m deeply disappointed by the outcome, we wanted to see prosecutions.”

He said Mr Collins had produced an initial witness statement in 2023, supplemented by two further “short statements”.

Director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said he had sought further evidence from the Government on the threat posed by China.

Sir Keir told MPs the case had to be based on the position taken by the Conservative government.

He said the Conservative administration’s Integrated Review of 2021 and the refresh of that document in 2023 were “very carefully worded to not describe China as an enemy”.

“The deputy national security adviser Matt Collins, set out the then-government’s position in a substantive witness statement in 2023 which was subsequently supplemented by two further short statements.

“The Cabinet Secretary assures me that the DNSA faithfully set out the policy of the then-Tory government. I know first hand that the DNSA is a civil servant of the utmost integrity. Those opposite who worked with him, I am sure, would agree with that assessment.

“Under this Government, no minister or special adviser played any role in the provision of evidence.”

Government sources had originally claimed the CPS was blocking the release of Mr Collins’ evidence, but the organisation denied that was the case.

Sir Keir said: “Last night, the Crown Prosecution Service clarified that, in their view, the decision whether to publish the witness statements of the DNSA is for the Government.

“I therefore carefully considered this question this morning, and after legal advice, I have decided to publish the witness statement.

“Given the information contained, we will conduct a short process. But I want to make clear, I intend to publish the witness statements in full.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of “obfuscation” adding: “It is simply unbelievable that he is trying to say the last government did not classify China as a threat.”

Sir Keir replied: “The substantive evidence was provided in 2023 by the previous government. That is when the witness statement was submitted.

“I am going to disclose it, they will all be able to read it.”

The Prime Minister confirmed that his national security adviser Jonathan Powell and Sir Oliver Robbins, the permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, met to discuss the trial in September.

The Prime Minister told the Commons: “There was a meeting in September, that did not involve the national security adviser discussing the evidence in any way.”

Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir’s approach to the case “stinks of a cover-up”.

The Prime Minister, a former director of public prosecutions, insisted there was no political interference in the case.

Former security minister Tom Tugendhat said: “The real question is,what political direction did this Government give to their officials before they went to give evidence?”

Sir Keir responded: “Absolutely none.

“And I will also tell him this: I was the chief prosecutor for five years, and I can say, in those five years, which included three years under the coalition government, where we were taking difficult decisions on MPs’ expenses, not once was I subjected to political pressure of any sort from anyone.

“That is the tradition in this country; it is a proud tradition.

“It is one I uphold as Prime Minister, just as I upheld it when I was director of public prosecutions.”