A man arrested on suspicion of using his role in the UK Parliament to spy for China has said he is “completely innocent”.
In a statement released by his lawyers, Birnberg Peirce Solicitors, the former House of Commons researcher said he chose to speak out after becoming the subject of “extravagant news reporting”.
The suspect, who was not named by his lawyers, was arrested in March under the Official Secrets Act and later released on bail.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confronted Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the G20 summit in India on Sunday over the matter, calling it an “unacceptable” interference in democracy.
But the man on Monday claimed he was innocent.
“I feel forced to respond to the media accusations that I am a ‘Chinese spy’,” he said. “It is wrong that I should be obliged to make any form of public comment on the misreporting that has taken place.
“However, given what has been reported, it is vital that it is known that I am completely innocent. I have spent my career to date trying to educate others about the challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party.
“To do what has been claimed against me in extravagant news reporting would be against everything I stand for.”
Mr Sunak has come under pressure from MPs in his Conservative Party to formally recognise China as a threat to UK interests after a parliamentary researcher was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing.
There is concern that the suspect had been given privileged access to MPs.
The researcher had links to senior Conservative MPs including Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, and Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
He was arrested in March but it did not come to light until The Times disclosed it over the weekend.
He was released on bail after being detained under the Official Secrets Act.
The arrest of the former parliamentary aide has been seized upon by China 'hawks' on the Tory benches to step up calls for a more robust response to 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.
The suspect was active in Westminster circles and attended drinks receptions. He also made several attempts last year to meet a political reporter for a date.
He is understood to have abruptly disappeared from parliamentary social scenes following his arrest in March.
Kemi Badenoch, Britain's business and trade secretary, declined to label China a foe and cautioned against using “careless” language to refer to other states.
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She stressed the important role China plays in international trade.
Asked if she considered China to be a threat, Ms Badenoch opted for a toned down approach saying she would define it as a “challenge”.
“China is a country that we do a lot of business with,” she told Sky News. “China is a country that is significant in terms of world economics. It’s on the UN Security Council.
“We certainly should not be describing China as a foe but we can describe it as a challenge.”
She stressed the importance of refraining from “careless” terms when speaking about other countries.
“I don’t think we should be careless when we speak about other countries,” she added.
Asked if China should be banned from the first global summit on artificial intelligence, set to be hosted by the UK later this year, she said it would be a matter for the Prime Minister.
An American AI expert previously told The National the gathering could not be deemed a success if China was not invited.
House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told MPs on Monday to refrain from engaging in speculation about the spying suspect.
In a statement to the House, he said the case refers to an “ongoing, sensitive investigation and members will of course understand that public discussion will be wholly inappropriate”.
The Speaker said “issues raised by media stories are being addressed” and added that parliamentary “security is working closely and effectively with other relevant authorities”.
“We keep our security arrangements under review at all times in order to deal with the evolving threats,” he told MPs.
“The extremely small number of people who needed to know were immediately briefed on a strictly confidential basis given the national security of this sensitive matter.”
Sir Lindsay reminded MPs of the importance of not discussing security issues in the House.
“That is particularly important in this case, where commenting on the identities of those alleged to be involved, engaging in speculation about the case or discussing other details runs a serious risk of prejudicing any future prosecutions – which the comments made in the media were unhelpful – something for which I’m sure no member will want to be responsible,” he said.
The Commons Speaker said he would not take points of order from MPs on the matter and added they should raise security concerns with him or officials outside the chamber.
Sir Alex Younger, who led Britain’s intelligence service MI6 for six years, said he is “increasingly concerned” by the scope and scale of China’s intelligence activity. He argued the scope is broader than what the UK would define as intelligence.
“It includes information more broadly and influence,” he told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme. “And the significance of influence – undisclosed attempts to change the way in which people behave – is underestimated within our systems.
“It is not something we’re familiar with. It’s fundamental to the way China operates. And in that sense I’m not surprised to hear of issues like this arising.”
Mr Younger said while co-operating with China is necessary sometimes the UK needs to “confront” the country.
Climate change is an example of an area where Britain needs the co-operation with China, he said.
But he argued: “Sometimes we have to be absolutely prepared to confront it when we believe that our security interests are threatened.
“That is exactly how they will behave towards us.
“Sometimes we need to confront China. In my experience, just being nice to them doesn’t get you very far.”
During the Conservative leadership contest last year, Mr Sunak described China as the “biggest long-term threat to Britain” but official language used since he took office has been softer, with the integrated review of foreign and defence policy calling it an “epoch-defining challenge”.
