The Prime Minister confronted the Chinese premier Li Qiang over ‘unacceptable’ interference in British democracy.
Rishi Sunak was facing pressure to designate China a threat to national security after a parliamentary researcher was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Mr Tugendhat are pushing for China to be relabelled as a threat to Britain’s safety and interests under new national security laws, the Times reported. Tom Tugendhat is said not to have had any contact with the arrested researcher since before he became security minister last September Mr Sunak cited his confrontation with Mr Li in New Delhi as an example of the benefits of his policy of engagement rather than “shouting from the sidelines”.
Labour’s shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said not describing China as a threat is “naive” but argued that economic ties with Beijing could “over the long-term be a positive thing”. Both were held on suspicion of offences under Section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911, which punishes offences that are said to be “prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state”.They were bailed until early October.
Ms Kearns declined to comment, adding: “While I recognise the public interest, we all have a duty to ensure any work of the authorities is not jeopardised.”