SIR Keir Starmer today finally bowed to pressure to release the crucial evidence that collapsed the Chinese spy trial.
The PM will publish the witness statement from the deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins provided to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of being “dragged out to repeat more obfuscation” as they clashed at PMQs – blasting: “This all stinks of a cover-up”.
A blame game has erupted between the parties over who was responsible for the CPS dropping charges of spying against two men.
The CPS ultimately decided that the witness statement from the deputy national security adviser failed to sufficiently describe Beijing as an “enemy” of Britain.
It saw them drop charges against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry who were both accused of spying for China.
Both men – who deny the allegations – were charged under the previous Conservative government.
Labour has claimed that because the Tories had failed to categorise China as a “threat” to the UK, Mr Collins was unable to do so in his witness statement.
But the Conservatives insist the last government did sufficiently brand Beijing as a threat to security.
The charges that Cash and Berry breached the Official Secrets Act rested on China being an “enemy” of Britain.
The Tories have been pushing for ministers to release this witness statement to ascertain exactly what Mr Collins said to the CPS.
Today Sir Keir said: “I want to make clear, I intend to publish the witness statements in full.”
