The trial of two alleged spies was secretly sabotaged by Labour who refused to brand China an 'enemy', it has been reported.Christopher Cash, 30, from Whitechapel, east London, and Christopher Berry, 33, of Witney, Oxfordshire, were each charged with the offence of spying under the Official Secrets Act.They were set to face trial in October, but proceedings against them were stopped on Monday, sparking criticism from Downing Street and MPs.The pair were accused of passing information about the Government's foreign policy to a high-ranking member of the Chinese government. Sir Keir Starmer's spokesman described it as being 'extremely disappointing' that the two men would not face trial. Under the Official Secrets Act 1911, Mr Cash, who worked for Tory MPs, and Mr Berry, a teacher, were accused of collecting and passing information that would be 'directly or indirectly useful to an enemy'. However, according to the Telegraph, the case collapsed after ministers withdrew a star witness who was set to testify that China was an 'enemy' of the UK.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was under the impression that a senior civil servant would give evidence to establish that Beijing was an enemy of Britain, which was needed for a successful prosecution, following previous assurances from the Conservative government. Parliamentary aide Christopher Cash, 30, (pictured above in April arriving at Westminster Magistrates Court) and British teacher ChristopherBerry, 33, were each charged with the offence of spying under the Official Secrets Act They were set to face trial in October, but proceedings against them were stopped on Monday, sparking criticism from Downing Street and MPs. Pictured: Christopher Berry (right)There were also plans in place for intelligence officials to testify in a closed court to protect their identity.However, prosecutors were told that Labour ministers were no longer willing to describe China as an enemy in court, causing the case to collapse.Last month, Dan Jarvis, the Labour security minister, told Parliament the decision to drop the case was 'independent' from the government and it was 'not for any government minister to speculate on the reasons behind it'.Speaking to The Times, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the decision effectively gave Beijing 'licence to operate' within Parliament, after the men were alleged to have targeted the China Research Group of MPs. The official who commissioned the research has since been named in media reports as Cai Qi, a senior aide to Xi Jinping, the Chinese president.Mr Cash and Mr Berry have denied any wrongdoing. Mr Cash's lawyer has said his client is 'entirely innocent and should never have been arrested, let alone charged'.Sir Lindsay, the director of public prosecutions said there was no 'outside pressure' influence the decision to drop the charges.'As Speaker, I take the security of this house incredibly seriously. I believe this leaves the door open to foreign actors trying to spy on the House,' Sir Lindsay said.'This door must be closed hard. We must pursue all avenues to ensure the protection of members and people that work within the House of Commons. It will not be tolerated.' Speaking to The Times, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the decision effectively gave Beijing 'licence to operate' within Parliament, after the men were alleged to have targeted the China Research Group of MPsStephen Parkinson, the chief prosecutor in England and Wales, said he shared 'the disappointment, and indeed frustration, expressed by many Parliamentarians, as well as members of the public, that this prosecution had to stop'.He said the CPS, which he leads, had determined the case had to be stopped because of 'an evidential failure'.However, Alicia Kearns, a Conservative MP who employed Mr Cash, said the decision to withdraw a witness raised 'serious questions about constitutional impropriety'. She said: 'Starmer must answer: was it no longer in the public's interest to prosecute, or more likely he and his Labour Government don't have the mettle to defend the British people and our great democracy?'Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said the Government's decision to withdraw a witness was 'deeply alarming'.'This really creates serious questions for the Government, and calls for them to be much more transparent and honest about their entire involvement in this case,' she said,' she said.A government spokesman said: 'It is disappointing the individuals will not face trial, given the seriousness of the allegations.'The decision not to proceed with prosecuting under the Official Secrets Act was made by the Crown Prosecution Service, entirely independently of government.'National security is the first duty of government and we remain steadfast in upholding this responsibility.'We will continue to use the full range of tools and powers to guard against malign activity. The introduction of the National Security Act has strengthened our ability to protect the UK, and to detect, disrupt, and deter any state activity seeking to undermine our democratic institutions.'