Conservative candidates dropped after MI5 warned they could be Chinese spies
The Conservatives reportedly dropped two potential candidates to become MPs after MI5 warned that they could be spies for China.
The security service contacted the Tories last year and in 2021 advising the pair should not be included on the central list of candidates, according to The Times.
The newspaper reported the pair had linked to the United Front Work Department (UFWD) – China’s main agency for shaping public opinion.
It cited an unnamed source as saying: “It was made very clear that they posed a risk.
“They were subsequently blocked from the candidates list. They weren’t told why.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “When we receive credible information regarding security concerns over potential candidates we act upon them.”
The news comes in the wake of a parliamentary researcher arrested over allegations of spying for Beijing.
The researcher, who is in his 20s, is understood to have had links to security minister Tom Tugendhat, Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns and other senior Tory MPs.
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China spy tensions in Westminster
In a statement released by his lawyers, the man – who they did not name – said he was “completely innocent” saying he spent his career “trying to educate others about the challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party”.
The man was arrested in Edinburgh on 13 March, Scotland Yard said.
The Sunday Times revealed that another man, who is in his 30s, was also arrested in Oxfordshire on the same day.
Both were held on suspicion of offences under Section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911, which punishes offences that are said to be “prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state”.
On Monday afternoon, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle reassured MPs that the House “follows the same vetting procedures as the government” and parliamentary security “is working closely and effectively with other relevant authorities” – and keeping arrangements under review.
Sir Lindsay said a small number of people were briefed about the arrest “on a strictly confidential basis” – and warned members against prejudicing future prosecutions by discussing the matter in the House.
He said the pair were bailed until early in October.
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PM on China: ‘We will defend our democracy’
Their arrests led to Rishi Sunak confronting Chinese premier Li Qiang at the G20 summit in India on Sunday over “unacceptable” interference in democracy.
The incident has also thrown a spotlight on the government’s stance towards China and raised questions about whether it should adopt a tougher approach.
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After days of furore directed at Rishi Sunak for the election betting scandal, now a Labour candidate is under investigation by the Gambling Commission for his own betting activity – and is immediately suspended.
Is this an equaliser in one of the grubbiest electoral sagas of recent elections? Quite possibly not.
There is no doubting the utter dismay in Labour HQ at the revelation that they too have a candidate caught up in the betting scandal.
Politics live: Labour to return £100k donation to suspended candidate
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Tories launch own probe into betting scandal
It lends itself to the easy narrative that there’s a plague on all politicians’ houses – everyone as bad as each other.
However, if the facts are as presented, the scale of the challenge for the Tories is of a different order of magnitude to that now facing Labour.
Labour’s Kevin Craig was suspended immediately after the party was informed by the Gambling Commission of the probe.
We are told that he placed a bet – not on the election date, but that he would lose his race in a general election.
He is certainly guilty of gross stupidity, as he admitted in a statement on Tuesday evening.
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However, if this scenario is as presented, it is hard to see an allegation being mounted that he had insider intelligence on the race – unless it can be proved he was deliberately setting out to lose.
An under-pressure Gambling Commission will investigate every candidate’s name on the spreadsheet from gambling companies of those who placed bets – but it is unclear from available facts where this will go.
The Tory betting saga, however, is more complicated and now on its 13th day.
It was almost two weeks ago that Craig Williams – Rishi Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide and former Montgomeryshire MP – admitted he had placed a bet on the election date – a date he might have known before the public at large.
He denies he committed any offence, and remains under investigation.
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Laura Saunders, standing for the Tories just south in Bristol North West, has also been suspended for putting a bet on the date when her partner worked in Conservative headquarters on the election.
For most of that time, Mr Sunak has been insisting he could not suspend either candidate because of the ongoing probe by the Gambling Commission.
Ministers, as well as opponents, weighed in.
And on Tuesday he reversed that decision under that pressure.
This means there are questions about the prime minister’s own judgement and unwillingness to act on top of questions about the behaviour of those closest to him.
Craig Williams and Laura Saunders have both been suspended from the Tories. Pics: PA/Laura Saunders for Bristol North West
This story has had massive cut through with the public, topping the charts for any news story in the UK – according to YouGov’s AI news tracker – for the last four days.
There is dismay from the cabinet downwards.
Labour’s own problems have undermined their own ability to go on the attack. But it is not clear that voters will see the two issues on the same scale.
The full list of the candidates running for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich is:
Charlie Caiger, independent;
Tony Gould, Reform UK;
Mike Hallatt, independent;
Brett Alistair Mickelburgh, Lib Dems;
Dan Pratt, Greens;
Patrick Spencer, Conservatives.
The full list of candidates for Bristol North West is:
Caroline Gooch, Lib Dems;
Darren Jones, Labour;
Scarlett O’Connor, Reform UK;
Mary Page, Green Party;
Ben Smith, SDP.
The full list of candidates for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr is:
Jeremy Brignell-Thorp, Green Party;
Oliver Lewis, Reform UK;
Glyn Preston, Lib Dems;
Elwyn Vaughan, Plaid Cymru;
Steve Witherden, Labour.
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