SIR Keir Starmer has been accused of hiding behind petty bureaucracy in failing to stop the Chinese spy trial from collapsing.
The PM was slammed for not intervening after being told prosecutors were poised to drop espionage charges against two men in September.
Former Tory security minister Tom Tugendhat – a victim of Beijing hostilities – said ministers had put process before national security.
He let rip in the Commons: “Well, who the hell’s side are you on? This isn’t about the bureaucracy. This is about leadership.
“We’re not sent here to be civil servants. We’re sent here to lead the country and to make decisions.”
Neither the PM nor any minister were involved in providing evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service in their case against Christoper Cash and Christopher Berry.
Instead they delegated the entire matter to a single civil servant – deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins – who provided three witness statements to the CPS.
The CPS ultimately judged that this evidence did not sufficiently declare China an “enemy” and so pulled the charges.
Sir Keir’s spokesman yesterday insisted it would have been “absurd” for him to then become involved after learning the case was due to collapse.
But No10’s insistence there was no political interference was in doubt by Labour policy appearing in Mr Collins’ witness statement.
The statements provided to the CPS said the current government wanted a “positive relationship” with China based on cooperation, competition, and “challenging where we must”.
Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson was also facing questions for deciding to abandon the case despite a trove of damning evidence in the witness statements.
Mr Collins said that Chinese spies were carrying out “large scale espionage operations” against Britain regularly.
He also detailed allegations that Mr Berry and Mr Cash passed sensitive information to a powerful Beijing handler.
Mr Cash at one point is even said to have told Mr Berry: “You’re in spy territory now.”
Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp last night wrote to Mr Parkinson demanding he publish the correspondence between himself and the government to ascertain the specific evidence he was requesting.
He said: “In the interests of transparency, it is essential that we see what further evidence the CPS was asking for from the government, and why.
“I would be grateful if you could therefore urgently publish the correspondence between the CPS and the government on this matter.”
- A DECISION on whether to approve a Chinese super-embassy in London has been delayed yet again amid fears it could be used for nefarious purposes.
