The UK government is undermining an investigation into spying in China to protect the bonds of Beijing, the officials say

The Sir Kerr Starmer government has undermined the investigation of Chinese espionage against politicians in Westminster to protect trade and diplomatic relations in the United Kingdom with Beijing, according to senior UK officials, despite the concern that an enemy country has infiltrated the heart of British democracy.

VIP officials FT told that last month’s decision by public prosecutors Disclosure of the alleged Chinese spy issue It came after a major conflict that incited international security advisers in Starmer and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs against the Ministry of Interior, with his recent desire to move forward in the case.

Senior government figures believe that the conflict arose over a desire between security advisers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not to disturb China, as the UK seeks to improve relations with its third commercial partner.

The prosecution collapsed after security officials said that they would not submit a certificate that China could be defined as an “enemy”, an important element in the prosecution under the official secrets law, to which the alleged fascies were directed to violate.

This was despite the fact that the UK prosecutors – supported by a certificate from a UK security official – were arguing earlier this year in the case of spying an enemy that the enemy guaranteed “any country that represents a threat to our national security.”

The national security strategy, which was published in June, warned that China has increased “espionage” and “interference in our democracy and undermining our economic security” in recent years. However, I also warned that the United Kingdom wanted to increase trade.

The document – supervised by National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell and was informed by the government Unpublished “China Check” – I also warned that the United Kingdom needs to “reduce the risk of misunderstanding and weak communication”, which has been characterized by its relations with Beijing in recent years.

It is likely that the last disclosure of more anger in Westminster after the collapse of the spying case last month, when the coronary prosecution service said that it will not charge the charges against Christopher Cash, 30, from Whitchil in East London, and Christopher Perry, 33, from Whitney in Oxfordshire.

The criticism was a parliamentary researcher and had a loud research group at the time of his arrest, and he was accused of claiming that information was transferred about the deputies To a Chinese spy.

Both men have always defended his innocence. The husband was scheduled to go in trial this month.

Last week, the Justice and Home Affairs Committees in Parliament, led by the public prosecutor, Andy Silotter and the governor, Ms. Karen Bradley, respectively, demanded an additional interpretation of the prosecutors about the reason for the overthrow of the case.

Four officials said that the battle between the Ministry of Interior, responsible for local security, and security consultants in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Starmer, had exploded at a meeting in September.

The meeting was attended by Powell, Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins, Oli Robbins, and Ministry of Interior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The officials said this group informed the Ministry of Interior that Collins would not be able to testify that China was an enemy.

Two officials said Powell, a veterans in the era of Blair, which was returned by Starmer to support the foreign policy team, chaired the meeting.

Collins had previously made a statement in the case of a precedent trial under the official secrets law that included Bulgarian citizens embodied on behalf of Russia in the United Kingdom.

In that trial, Collins told the court that the presence of individuals in Britain working under the supervision of Russian intelligence services was “harmful to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.”

This was the basis of the pretext of claiming that Russia was an enemy. Six Bulgarian citizens Condemned From spying for Russia in the trial, the police described it as one of the most important spy cases that will be brought to Britain for decades.

On Sunday, other government officials insisted on FT that CPS had simply reviewed the evidence he had already received in 2023 and decided that it was not as strong as he thought first.

They said that Colines or Powell had withdrawn evidence and that Collins never pledged to describe China as an enemy in court when he first presented his evidence to CPS under the previous government.

Prosecutors said that the UK security consultants did not want to classify China as an “enemy” in the court, perhaps leaving CPS, there is no choice but to give up the prosecution.

However, Stephen Parkinson, Director of the Public Prosecution, said that when the shipping decision was made for the first time, he concluded “correctly” “there is sufficient evidence to prosecute”, but since there was “a failure of proof”, without a situation.

A spokesman for the cabinet office said that there was no “material change in the evidence provided by the government” and said it was “completely inaccurate” to suggest Powell “he made any decisions regarding the content of the witness’s evidence.”

The government has constantly said that the decision not to prosecute CPS was “independently”.

Alicia Kirins, one of the deputies who was to testify, said that the Prime Minister had questions to answer it, and the government had to “reveal the decision -making process for the British people who were in his interest.”

“Starmer had the ability to make sure that the trial could continue,” Kerns told FT.

“Either his ministers or most senior advisers behave with his full knowledge, or in contradiction and contempt for his desires to increase the ability of CPS to prosecute – O?”

The cabinet spokesman said it was “completely false” to say that there is “pressure” from Downing Street to kill the case.