Britain has been accused of spying for China

Two men have been formally charged with spying for China, sparking a huge backlash across the UK. They were arrested since March last year and were on police bail pending investigation. Information comes from the network Sky News.

According to British media reports, Christopher Perry, 32, from Witney, Oxfordshire, and former parliamentary investigator Christopher Cash, 29, who lives in London, face charges under the Official Secrets Act following a thorough investigation by counter-terrorism officers. .

Allegations arise that between December 2021 and February 2023, the defendants obtained, recorded and shared information “considered to be harmful to national security”.

The two men, who were arrested last March, were on police bail pending investigation. They will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday (26) to answer the charges against them.

According to a British newspaper The Sunday Times, Cash was accessible to the likes of Defense Secretary Tom Tugenhardt and Foreign Relations Committee Chair Alicia Kearns. Several government sources declined to comment on security concerns.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter-Terrorism Command, commented that the investigation was “extremely complex, subject to very serious allegations”.

He stressed: “We are aware of the public interest and media coverage of this case, but ask everyone to refrain from further comment or speculation so that the criminal justice process can continue without interruption.”

Increasing espionage

The allegations reignite a debate over the relationship between London and Beijing, which has been marked by growing concerns about spying and interference in parliament. This raises the question of whether additional measures should have been taken to reduce these risks.

Last year, there was an unusual warning about parliamentary intervention over the activities of Christine Ching Gui Lee, a London-based lawyer who was accused of “establishing links” to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with members of British parliament. British security agency MI5 accused him of political interference, including funding MPs' work on behalf of China.

Other countries, such as Australia and Canada, have also faced recent accusations of Chinese espionage or meddling in politics, although the Chinese government has denied any involvement in these types of activities.