UK Leader Starmer Faces Scrutiny Over China Spy Case Collapse

A high-profile espionage case involving Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry collapsed after prosecutors failed to obtain evidence confirming China as a national security threat at the time of the alleged offences. Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson revealed that despite months of efforts, witness statements supporting the threat designation were not forthcoming from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's administration. Starmer defended his government's position by attributing the failure to the previous Conservative administration, which had not formally classified China as a threat when the offences occurred. Critics argue that this cautious approach has hindered the prosecution and called for stronger action against China, including placing it on an enhanced foreign influence registration scheme alongside Russia and Iran. The controversy has led to calls for Starmer to explain the case's collapse to Parliament, with concerns raised about the government's handling of national security and relations with Beijing. Both accused men denied wrongdoing, and the case is unlikely to proceed to trial.