UK ‘isn’t a democracy any more’, warns Tugendhat in call for leadership

A collapse in the China spying case was an issue not of “bureaucracy” but instead “leadership”, Tom Tugendhat has warned.

The former security minister suggested that if “the bureaucrats are in charge of everything”, then the UK “isn’t a democracy any more”.

He questioned why the Government did not do “everything” in its power to secure the prosecution of Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, who both deny wrongdoing.

The two men were accused of passing secrets to China, but the CPS dropped the case against them in September.

Cabinet Office minister Chris Ward told the Commons that “no minister or special adviser played any role” in intervening in evidence passed from Whitehall to prosecutors.

Conservative former minister Graham Stuart said: “The CPS has independence from ministers. Civil servants do not.

“So, the whole point of our constitution is that civil servants can never be put out under the bus, because ministers are responsible. They own everything the civil servants do.

“There is no carve-out because you’ve got this high title of being a national security adviser. They’re a civil servant.”

Conservative MPs chimed “it is”, as Mr Ward replied: “It is not the place under this Government or previously of ministers to be vetting or to interfere in evidence on that matter.”

The minister later added that the wording in the evidence supplied by deputy national security adviser (DNSA) Matt Collins to prosecutors, which the Government has since published, was provided “independently”.

Raising a point of order, Mr Tugendhat told MPs: “Given that the Government’s position is that the bureaucrats run the Government, the bureaucrats are in charge of everything, may we dissolve this House and save the taxpayer the money?

“Because clearly, this isn’t a democracy any more.”

It was thought Mr Cash had access to Mr Tugendhat’s office, and according to Mr Collins’s evidence to the CPS in 2023, “the Chinese state had indirect access to someone who knew and conversed with Tom Tugendhat”.

Mr Tugendhat had earlier told the Commons: “Somebody has been put into my office by a hostile state, and the two parties are playing politics with it.”

The Conservative continued: “The Government’s response is not, as mine was, to do everything you can to make sure the prosecution works.

“But no, no – process, process. Well, who the hell’s side are you on?

“This isn’t about the bureaucracy, this is about leadership. We’re not sent here to be civil servants, we’re sent here to lead the country and to make decisions.”

Mr Ward said he was “genuinely not trying to play politics at this”.

He said the Government’s position was “that there will be no interference with the CPS in the process of this and that every effort was made to try and deliver evidence in the way to support their case when it was asked for”.

Asked to make a statement on the case, Mr Ward had first told the Commons: “I want to reiterate, as the Prime Minister said yesterday, that under this Government, no minister or special adviser played any role in the provision of evidence.

“The Prime Minister cannot say if that is the case under the previous government, but I once again invite the party opposite to clarify that.”

From his seat, Conservative MP for Tonbridge, Mr Tugendhat, shouted: “Stop playing politics, you petty little man.”

Former researcher Mr Cash said he is “completely innocent” and has been “placed in an impossible position” because he has not been able to prove it in a public trial.

“I wish to reiterate that I am completely innocent, not just because the case against me was dropped, but because at no point did I ever intentionally assist Chinese intelligence,” he said on Wednesday night.

He added: “I have been placed in an impossible position.

“I have not had the daylight of a public trial to show my innocence, and I should not have to take part in a trial by media.”