A SENIOR MP at the heart of the China spy scandal will demand Beijing is hit by sanctions for targeting her.
In what is set to be an explosive parliamentary showdown, Alicia Kearns will also accuse Sir Keir Starmer’s Government of “failing to come clean” about their role in the controversy.
Shadow security minister Alicia KearnsGetty
ReutersPrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to admit what “he knew and when”[/caption]
PAThe PM’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell is facing questions[/caption]
The PM is under massive pressure after the trial of parliamentary researcher Chris Cash, 30, and teacher Christopher Berry, 33, for Chinese spying collapsed due to a lack of evidence.
Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson blamed the Labour government for failing to hand over evidence branding China a national security threat.
A senior minister is expected to be summoned to the House of Commons on Monday to explain themselves.
And Ms Kearns, who employed Mr Cash, will use it to demand tough new sanctions on the Chinese Communist Party.
She told The Sun on Sunday: “At the critical moment it looks as though they actively undermined our security services, there’s been zero repercussions for the Chinese Community Party.
“It’s quite evident there should be repercussions in the wake of this case, namely sanctions against the Chinese Communist Party.”
Alicia Kearns demands sanctions against Cina
For weeks the Government has failed to come clean about its role in the the collapse of this trial.
Rather than answer for their serious failings, they’re weakly regurgitating limp phrases about national security being important. With each new revelation it becomes clearer and clearer that those are just empty words.
Even worse, at the critical moment it looks as though they actively undermined our security services, there’s been zero repercussions for the Chinese Community Party.
They called in the Chinese embassy for a little telling off, but actions speak louder than words.
The Government is not short of options. It’s painfully obvious that China should be in the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Interference Scheme.
It’s painfully obvious that they shouldn’t be granted a mega-embassy in the heart of London as a new base to ramp up their espionage activities and it’s quite evident there should be repercussions in the wake of this case, namely sanctions against the Chinese Communist Party.
In the wake of the disastrous collapse of the case, the Government is using red herrings to try and confuse the matter as they change their story.
But now we have former National Security Advisers, Heads of Mi6 and lawyer after lawyer questioning their story.
The defence of our nation requires MPs to be able to act in the national interest and know their Government will stand steadfast behind us and take action to defend our democracy.
If the Government takes seriously their commitments then they need to actually do something.
Top Chinese officials should be banned from coming to Britain and have their assets here frozen, she will demand.
And Beijing must be stopped from building a mega embassy near the Tower of London as it will be used to “ramp up espionage”.
Meanwhile, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is considering launching a private prosecution into the alleged spies, and getting legal advice.
Sir Keir has said he is “disappointed” the trial did not go ahead and blamed the previous Tory Government’s stance on China.
But the PM’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell has been blamed in reports for the decision not to hand over the evidence prosecutors needed.
The PM has insisted no “minister” was involved in what evidence was given to prosecutors – but has swerved commenting on Mr Powell.
Today Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused the Government of deliberately collapsing the trial in a bid to curry favour with Xi Jinping to boost trade.
Writing in the Sun on Sunday, Mr Philp said Mr Powell “must be fired” if he authorised critical evidence to be withheld.
Downing Street strongly denies the Government was involved in the collapse of the prosecution.
No10’s press secretary said: “The suggestion that the government withheld evidence, withdrew witnesses or restricted the ability of a witness to draw on a particular bit of evidence are all untrue”.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We continue to keep sanctions under close review. It is not appropriate to speculate on any future designations. To do so could reduce the impact of the designations.”
Both Mr Cash and Mr Berry denied the charges.
Christopher Berry and Chris Cash denied the charges
PASpeaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is considering launching a private prosecution[/caption]
AlamyMPs are furious and expecting a showdown in the Houses of Parliament[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
