The news on Sunday that the authorities had arrested a spy who had been operating in Parliament came as quite a shock. After all, it was only about a year ago that Barry Gardiner, had been using the services of a researcher who was a son of a woman named Christine Lee.
Lee, who worked with the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), cultivated relationships with influential figures in Parliament to stop other MP’s causing trouble for the Chinese regime.
We were assured then that security and vetting systems would be improved, particularly as I and others have been sanctioned by the Chinese government and face online attacks. That’s why I was gravely concerned that, yet another spy had slipped through. How many more are plying their trade in Westminster? We ask.
It appears that this wasn’t just some young man, already employed in Parliament who happened to do this because he was persuaded, no this individual was already recruited by the CCP and who was sent to spy and divide those who campaign against the brutal regime of China.
There are two questions that need answering: first, when did the Foreign Secretary know and was that before his visit to China?
The Government now says they are an ‘Epoch defining Challenge’ and that we will deal with that through ‘robust pragmatism.’ That’s a statement that could have been taken straight out of, ‘Yes Minister’ the comedy programme, making no sense at all.
The government goes on to say that we must engage. Yet no one is saying we shouldn’t engage but rather engage through strength. For example, when China tore up the Sino-British agreement on Hong Kong, guaranteeing the human rights of those living there, The USA sanctioned 10 of the most senior officials in Hong Kong. We have not sanctioned anyone.
