Suspected of spying for China/ British MP's partner arrested

2026-03-04 16:07:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

One of three men arrested on suspicion of spying for China is the partner of a Labour MP, the BBC reports. The men, aged 39, 43 and 68, were arrested in London and Wales as part of a counter-terrorism police investigation under the National Security Act, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

There is no “immediate or direct threat to the public”, the Metropolitan Police added, and all three suspects are being held in custody. Speaking in the House of Commons after the arrests, security minister Dan Jarvis said the UK would not “trade security for economic access”.

The Metropolitan Police said the 39-year-old was arrested at an address in London; the 68-year-old was arrested in Powys, Wales, and the 43-year-old was arrested in Pontyclun, Wales. All three have been arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and remain in custody, the Met Police added.

As part of the investigation, searches were carried out at locations in London, East Kilbride and Cardiff. The Metropolitan Police said the three arrests and subsequent search activity were supported by counter-terrorism police in Wales and Scotland.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “On Wednesday, March 4, we carried out a search at an address in East Kilbride in the name of an investigation being led by the London Counter Terrorism Police.” The men have been accused by officers of assisting a foreign intelligence service under section three of the National Security Act, which was introduced in 2023 to target suspects accused of working against the interests of the United Kingdom.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of London's Counter Terrorism Policing, said the force had seen a "significant increase" in national security casework in recent years, but officers were working to "disrupt malicious activity where we suspect it".

The arrests come weeks after Sir Keir Starmer visited Beijing as the government seeks to pursue a cautious reset of UK-China economic ties. Jarvis said that if Chinese interference in the UK's sovereign affairs is proven, there will be serious consequences.

"This government stands firm in our determination to oppose foreign interference activity targeting the United Kingdom from any state actor," he told MPs.

British officials had briefed Chinese counterparts in London and Beijing about the allegations, he added. Jarvis also said it would be naive for anyone to say the UK should not have a functioning working relationship with China.

Responding to Jarvis in the House of Commons, shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart said: "If the UK does not stand up to these threats, our country will continue to be treated with contempt."

Burghart referred to the previous issue of the espionage scandal involving China and the recent approval of the Chinese mega-embassy in central London, despite warnings from opponents that it could be used as a base for espionage and pose security risks./ CNA, translated by BBC