Sir Iain Duncan Smith has vowed to “turn up the heat” on Sir Keir Starmer after the collapse of a major prosecution linked to Chinese espionage.
The former Conservative leader accused the Government of “slimy and duplicitous” behaviour after prosecutors abandoned charges against two men accused of spying for Beijing.
The prosecution of Christopher Cash, a former researcher for Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, and Christopher Berry collapsed on September 15 after both men denied allegations under the Official Secrets Act.
Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, revealed in correspondence to parliamentary committee chairs that prosecutors had sought essential evidence for months without success.
Ian Duncan Smith fumed that the ‘Prime Minister needs to come clean’
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GB NEWS
The CPS required proof that Beijing represented a “national security threat” during the alleged offences.
The Prime Minister has rejected responsibility for the case’s collapse, insisting the previous Conservative Government’s China policy was the determining factor since it applied during the alleged offences.
“You can’t prosecute someone two years later in relation to a designation that wasn’t in place at the time,” Sir Keir told reporters, declining to express a view on whether the CPS bore responsibility.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Duncan Smith fumed: “They deliberately fogged it and didn’t bother, knowing full well the DPP would eventually have to cancel the case.
“It was slimy and duplicitous and this Government has a bad habit of being slimy and duplicitous now.”
He also pointed to the 2023 Integrated Review, which described China as a “systemic challenge” to UK security, proving, he says, that ministers were fully aware of the threat.
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“This is national security,” he said. “The Prime Minister needs to come clean. The Speaker is furious, and we’ll be demanding answers in the Commons.”
Sir Duncan Smith said: “Starmer claimed we couldn’t prosecute because the Conservatives hadn’t declared China a threat. He’s talking rubbish.”
He cited the Government’s own 2023 Integrated Review, published a month before the case was due to begin, which stated China’s actions “pose a threat to our people, prosperity and security”.
“That was the key statement,” he said. “The Government’s position was crystal clear: China was a threat.”
Keir Starmer has denied responsibility for the case
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PA
The former minister accused senior figures close to the Prime Minister, including national security adviser Jonathan Powell, of trying to “kill” a key China report.
He also questioned Powell’s “strong business links in China”, calling his role “deeply concerning”.
The senior figure said the incident had exposed a “tortuous web of deceit” at the heart of Government.
“This is national security,” he warned. “If the Prime Minister’s statement was supposed to be truthful, it wasn’t.”
Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake demanded the Prime Minister address Parliament to explain why the Government wouldn’t confirm that China threatens national security.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller called it “shocking” that ministers refused to provide evidence enabling the prosecution of individuals accused of acquiring secret parliamentary information for Beijing.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle reportedly harbours serious concerns about the case, with two MPs confirming they will seek urgent questions when Parliament reconvenes.