No 10 denies government to blame for collapse of China spy case

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe Director of Public Prosecutions, Stephen Parkinson, has attributed the collapse of a high-profile spying case against two men accused of working for China to the government's refusal to officially designate Beijing as a national security threat. The case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, dropped on 15 September, required prosecutors to prove the defendants were acting for an 'enemy' under the Official Secrets Act 1911.That was a designation the government reportedly declined to provide. Mr Parkinson said that despite “many months” of effort, the necessary evidence to establish China as a threat at the time of the alleged offences was not forthcoming, leading to the case's termination. Number 10 and government ministers have denied responsibility for the collapse, with Sir Keir Starmer saying the decision to brand China a threat would have had to have been taken under the previous Conservative administration.In fullChina spy trial collapse blamed on government refusing to brand Beijing a threatThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Raccontata daindependent.co.ukbbc.comscmp.comtheguardian.comupi.com