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Two men accused of being Chinese spies had charges against them dropped by prosecutors in September, leading to denials from Downing Street about any government involvement in the collapse of the trial. Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, who both denied the accusations, had been facing charges under the Official Secrets Act since April 2024. Several sources close to the trial revealed that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had initially charged them based on the evidence meeting the threshold set in the Act.
The director of public prosecutions, Stephen Parkinson, stated that the case could no longer proceed to trial as the evidence did not meet the necessary threshold. He emphasized that the decision to drop the charges was made independently by the CPS and had no government interference. The government expressed disappointment that the prosecution did not proceed further and stressed that there was no outside pressure influencing the CPS decision.
Conservative MPs, including Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, criticized the dropping of charges, expressing concerns about the implications for national security. MP Alicia Kearns, who previously employed Christopher Cash, underscored the inexplicable nature of the trial collapse without any ministerial or national security advisor involvement. She raised questions about potential interference leading to the withdrawal of evidence, witnesses, or intelligence necessary for prosecution. Kearns also highlighted her worries about the government prioritizing relations with China over national security interests.
The decision to reset relations with Beijing was brought into question by critics, such as Kearns, who accused the government of jeopardizing national security for economic gain. Labour’s approach to seeking closer trade ties with China post-election raised concerns about potential compromises on national security. The unfolding developments in the espionage trial and the subsequent dropping of charges have sparked debate and criticism among various political figures
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