What's happened
On October 24, 2025, the UK Crown Prosecution Service dropped charges against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, accused of spying for China between 2021 and 2023. The Director of Public Prosecutions cited the government's refusal to confirm China as a national security threat at the time. MI5 Director Ken McCallum affirmed ongoing Chinese espionage threats and recent operational interventions.
What's behind the headline?
Government Hesitation vs Security Reality
The collapse of the espionage case reveals a fundamental clash between the UK's national security apparatus and its political leadership's diplomatic stance toward China. Despite MI5's clear warnings and operational actions against Chinese espionage, government officials hesitated to legally define China as an enemy or threat during 2021-2023, undermining prosecution efforts.
Political Fallout and Institutional Strain
The Conservative opposition accuses the Labour government of weakness on China, while Labour denies interference, highlighting a politicized environment that complicates national security enforcement. The Director of Public Prosecutions' public criticism of government evidence provision is unusual and signals institutional frustration.
Broader Security Context
MI5 Director Ken McCallum's statements underscore escalating espionage threats not only from China but also Russia and Iran, with a 35% rise in espionage investigations. The UK faces a complex security landscape requiring robust legal and political alignment to effectively counter state threats.
Forecast
Without clear political consensus and legal clarity on defining national security threats, future prosecutions for espionage risk collapse, weakening deterrence. The government must reconcile diplomatic ambitions with security imperatives to restore confidence in the UK's counterintelligence capabilities.
What the papers say
Martin Ivens at Bloomberg highlights the intelligence agencies' anger over the dropped case, noting that "the government deliberately failed to provide sufficient legal proof that China is an active enemy of the British state." Lizzy Buchan in The Mirror details the political backlash, quoting the Conservative Party accusing the Labour government of "political interference" and the CPS blaming the government for insufficient evidence. The Mirror also reveals that Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins removed references to China as an "enemy" from key evidence to align with government policy.
The Independent and AP News provide extensive coverage of MI5 Director Ken McCallum's rare public remarks, where he states, "Do Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat? The answer is of course yes, every day," and describes recent operational interventions against Chinese threats. Both sources emphasize the complexity of UK-China relations and the government's cautious approach to balancing challenge and engagement.
Politico reports on the unusual publication of witness statements by Matthew Collins, who described China as "the biggest state-based threat to the UK's economic security" while also emphasizing the government's commitment to a "positive" relationship with Beijing. This duality illustrates the tension between security concerns and diplomatic strategy.
Together, these sources reveal a story of institutional conflict, political blame-shifting, and the challenges of prosecuting espionage amid evolving UK-China relations.
How we got here
Cash and Berry were charged under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly passing sensitive information to China. The case collapsed after prosecutors said they lacked evidence that China was officially deemed an enemy or national security threat during the alleged offenses. This reflects tensions between UK security agencies' warnings and government policy aiming to balance engagement with Beijing.
Go deeper
- Why did the UK government refuse to label China a national security threat?
- What role did MI5 play in the espionage case?
- How has the political debate affected UK-China relations?
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