Keir Starmer has committed to releasing significant evidence from a collapsed spy case involving China in its entirety. During an update to Members of Parliament, the Prime Minister disclosed that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had advised him that the responsibility lies with the government to reveal a crucial witness statement authored by Matthew Collins, the government’s deputy national security adviser.
The case against Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, who were accused of passing secrets to China, was suddenly dropped by the CPS on September 15. Both individuals, who have denied any wrongdoing, had the charges against them dismissed last month.
The collapse of the case prompted an unusual statement from the director of public prosecutions (DPP), Stephen Parkinson, who indicated that evidence regarding China as a national security threat could not be obtained from the Government. To establish the case under the Official Secrets Act, prosecutors would have needed to demonstrate that the defendants were acting for an “enemy.” Starmer emphasized that the official’s witness statement reflected the Tory government’s stance on China at the time of the alleged incident.
The Prime Minister expressed disappointment over the case’s outcome, emphasizing that the reviews conducted by the former Conservative government were carefully worded to avoid labeling China as an enemy. He highlighted that the previous government’s position was more focused on enhancing national security measures in response to perceived threats from China, while maintaining opportunities for constructive relations.
Addressing calls to disclose the government’s evidence, the PM stated that after legal advice, he had decided to publish the witness statement. He underscored the intention to release the statement in its entirety following a brief process. Starmer also noted that if legislative updates had been implemented sooner by the Conservatives, starting from a review initiated in 2015, the individuals involved in the case could have been prosecuted, averting the current situation.