Controversy surrounds key witness in China spy case, as
'enemy' term removed from evidence, raising questions about Rishi Sunak's
involvement.
According to a letter to MPs released on Friday, early
drafts of a witness statement given to deputy national security advisor Matt
Collins in late 2023 "included the term 'enemy,' but he removed this term
from the final draft as it did not reflect government policy."
At the time, the Conservatives held control.
A final draft of Collins' statement was given to then-prime
minister Rishi Sunak in December 2023, according to the memo that Mr. Collins
and national security adviser Jonathan Powell sent to the Joint Committee on
National Security Strategy.
The breakdown of the case against Christopher Cash and
Christopher Berry, as well as the UK's relationship with Beijing, have raised
concerns for Sir Keir Starmer and the Conservatives.
Additionally, pressure has been placed on the CPS to explain
the case's abandonment. In September, one month before a trial was scheduled to
begin, the body dropped the allegations against Mr. Cash and Mr. Berry under
the Official Secrets Act.
Both of them have refuted the claim that they are spying for
China.
Prosecutors have pointed
to the government's lack of proof that Beijing posed a threat to the UK at the
time of the alleged breaches.
The letter, which was made public on Friday, claims that
"he removed the term 'enemy' from the final draft of a statement provided
to DNSA because it did not reflect government policy."
Two government ministers have been summoned to a hearing on
the collapse of the case next week.
The joint committee on national security strategy have asked
the prime minister’s chief secretary Darren Jones and Attorney General Lord
Richard Hermer to give evidence to their inquiry on 28 October 28.
Addressing MPs on Monday, security minister Dan Jarvis said:
“There is nothing that the prime minister or any other minister could have done
at that point, and would have changed what the law and what the policy was
under the previous government between 2021 and 2023.”
He continued: “Ultimately it was an entirely independent
decision by the CPS to discontinue the case and they have confirmed that they
came under no outside pressure to do so.”
What are the possible political consequences for the
government?
The running of the case, especially with crucial
substantiation being altered and political influence suspected, can erode
citizens’ confidence in government translucency, responsibility, and
integrity.
Similar difficulties frequently fuel opposition
attacks, leading to calls for adoptions, boosted administrative scrutiny, and
implicit demands for votes of no confidence or examinations that
destabilize the ruling administration.
Public comprehensions that public security cases
are mishandled or told politically can undermine confidence in
police, prosecutors, and intelligence agencies, affecting their effectiveness.
Negative public opinion can hurt the governing party’s standing in opinion polls
and electoral issues, risking losses in original or public
choices.