UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ex-MI6 chief Sir John Sawers and former civil servants question why the UK dropped the China spy case, raising concerns over national security.
As reported by The Independent, former head of the Secret Intelligence Service, Sir John Sawers, expressed confusion over the collapse of the case against two alleged Beijing spies.
Reports suggest the Prime Minister’s team had documents showing China as a national security risk, but did not provide them to the Crown Prosecution Service before the case closed.
Ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Egypt trip for a Middle East peace summit led by US President Donald Trump, the White House warned that dropping the China spy case could harm UK-US intelligence ties.
Sir John Sawers’ views on the China spy trial
Referring to the failed China spy trial, Sir John Sawers said,
“I don’t think it’s got anything to do with intelligence. I think these two people accused of spying in Parliament were low-grade reporters of opinion in Parliament. What they were doing, if the allegations are true, was certainly illegal.”
He stated,
“And frankly, I’m a bit confused and unsure about why the prosecution was dropped. Of course, China poses an intelligence threat, a subversion threat here in the UK, as well as being an economic partner.”
The former M16 chief said,
“If these activities were being paid agents inside Parliament of a foreign power, even if that foreign power was a friend of the UK’s, that would be an illegal activity. So I’m not sure why the prosecution was dropped.”
Mr Sawers added,
“I think the government was slow in putting out a clear line on this. We heard one from Yvette Cooper at the end of last week. But I think the Americans will be equally perplexed as to why the prosecution was dropped when the case looked pretty clear.”
What did former officials say about the dropped China spy case?
Ex-top civil servants asked why the government dropped the case against Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, amid claims of insufficient evidence.
Sir Keir Starmer said the past Tory government never labeled China a national security threat, leaving his government unable to provide the evidence the CPS required for prosecution.
Ex-national security chief Lord Mark Sedwill, predecessor to PM’s adviser Jonathan Powell, said he was confused over the trial collapse, citing China as a clear threat.
Former attorney general Dominic Grieve rejected the government’s claims as “weird”, adding, “I can’t see why the PM was not in a position to ask the Cabinet Office to provide the evidence.”
Last April, the CPS charged Mr Cash and Mr Berry under the Official Secrets Act 1911, accusing them of collecting and sharing information that could aid an enemy; both denied the allegations.
White House’s stance on the China threat
White House officials say Donald Trump is increasingly concerned about the UK’s reliability after dropping charges.
One official said,
“The United States has been warning allies about the Chinese threat to our combined national security since President Trump first came into office in 2017.”
They added,
“The US government exercises extreme caution in sharing information with foreign governments subject to adversarial coercion and influence. We are especially careful in jurisdictions where our adversaries can act with impunity.”
How did Tories and Labour respond to the UK-China case collapse?
The collapse of the case has raised concerns about Britain’s stance on China amid Sir Keir Starmer’s push for closer ties.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel urged Attorney General Lord Hermer to appear in Parliament after Tories accused the government of interference.
She stated,
“The British public consume goods made in China. That is one thing. What we don’t like and what we fundamentally are calling out, is the fact that there is a spy case involving individuals that were effectively going to be prosecuted through the courts, and we’ve had government interference in that case.”
Ms Patel added,
“That case collapsed effectively because the government did not give the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) the evidence about China being a threat to our national security.”
According to The Sunday Times, Sir Keir Starmer’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, said the government’s evidence would follow the June national security strategy, which does not label Beijing as an “enemy.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said Mr Powell played no role in the prosecution’s collapse and has the Prime Minister’s full support.
Referring to the case, she added,
“We’re very disappointed that the CPS were not able to take forward the prosecution. I think it’s worth pointing out that this case dates back to 2023, so decisions that were taken were on the basis of legislation in force at the time and the implications that had for the CPS’s ability to take the case forward.”
UK-China relationship
UK-China trade hits new highs in 2025, with talks on human rights and security ongoing. Both nations plan closer green tech cooperation, while the UK stays cautious on Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Diplomatic engagement continues as both sides seek to strengthen economic and strategic ties.
