MI5 tells politicians ‘you are a target’ as tactics revealed in new guidance | Politics | News
MI5 has warned politicians they are being targeted by foreign spies as concerns grow over plans to influence and manipulate public debate.
MI5’s National Protective Security Authority told MPs, peers, councilors, candidates and parliamentary staff to “remain alert and trust their instincts”.
The intelligence agency said spies could pose as “diplomats, journalists, academics or lobbyists” or use people working in these fields as “proxies” for espionage work.
MI5 Director-General Sir Ken McCallum said: “When foreign states steal vital information from the UK or manipulate our democratic processes, they not only undermine our security in the short term, they also erode the foundations of our sovereignty and our ability to protect the interests of our citizens.
“Everyone reading this guide cares deeply about the role they play in UK democracy. Take action today to protect it and yourself.”
Security minister Dan Jarvis told the House of Commons that the advice would help politicians “better understand the threat” posed by countries such as Russia, China and Iran.
As well as calling for caution at home, MI5’s advice warned that foreign intelligence services could try to exploit foreign travel to access politicians’ data or use it as a way to influence financial donations.
It said: “What starts out as a seemingly genuine interaction can turn into something worse. It’s important to be careful and trust your instincts.”
The advice follows the collapse of the case of two alleged Chinese spies, one of whom worked as a parliamentary investigator and was closely linked to senior Conservatives at the time of the alleged crimes.
However, MI5 and the Home Office noted other attempts by foreign governments to interfere in British politics; These included Nathan Gill, the former Welsh leader of Reform UK, who admitted taking bribes to make pro-Russian statements when he was an MP.
Other cases included that of lawyer Christine Lee, to whom MI5 warned MPs in January 2022, accusing her of engaging in “political interference activities” on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.
On Monday Mr Jarvis told MPs that the Government was “gravely concerned” about the security of Britain’s democratic institutions and was “very clear that our Parliament must and will be protected from espionage”.
Monday’s guidance specifically accused Russia, China and Iran of “long-term strategic foreign interference and espionage”, while the security service also warned that “other states” might want to obtain information about the “UK system”.
It has also been suggested that foreign intelligence officers may pose as “diplomats, journalists, academics or lobbyists” or use people working in these fields as “proxies” for espionage work.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned during an explosive Parliamentary debate that by not prosecuting two alleged spies the Government was telling Britain’s enemies they could get away with spying.
And Ms Badenoch accused Labor of trying to “do a favor” to Beijing.
Former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat also claimed the Government had created “more straw men than Russia’s disinformation campaign”.
Director of prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said the case collapsed after the government failed to present evidence that China was a threat.
Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Labor, telling MPs: “This is about incompetence
“China spied on us and distributed leaflets to us.
“The CPS had a clear and compelling case to prosecute.
“But the case collapsed because the Government had been refusing to give vital information to the CPS for months.
“This was not a mistake. This was not a misunderstanding.”
“This appears to be a deliberate decision to collapse the case in order to curry favor with the regime in China. And instead of accepting that, the Minister of Security has come here blaming the Official Secrets Act.”
“If the Government does not prosecute those who spy on us, it sends a message to the public that the Government does not care about their safety.
“This sends a message to our allies who share intelligence with us that Britain cannot be trusted.
“And it sends a message to those who are spying on us that they can get away with it.”
In an angry attack, Ms Badenoch added in an urgent debate in Parliament: “Is it a serious allegation by the government that no minister knew anything about this until the case collapsed?
“It’s surprising if that’s the case.
“But my suspicion is that that is not the case. My suspicion is that ministers know.”
“They have the Chinese super embassy in their eyes.
“There are talks of compensation worth billions of pounds that they are allegedly being asked to pay for the nationalization of British Steel.
“I suspect they have decided that closer economic ties with China are more important than due process and our national security.
“And if that’s the case, if that’s the decision of this Government, then they need to tell us that and have the backbone to accept that.
“They should make it public. They should explain it to the CPS, they should explain it to our international allies and let them all be the judges.”
“There’s nowhere to hide.”
Security minister Dan Jarvis has insisted the Government has not withdrawn or concealed any evidence in the Chinese spying case.
He added: “The opposing party has been making baseless allegations for days that this Government has deliberately subverted an independent legal process through political interference.
“There is not a shred of evidence to support any of the accusations he has made.”
Mr Jarvis added that Ms Badenoch had previously said in September last year that she had “avoided calling China a threat”.
He said: “Every effort was made to provide evidence to support this case. The decision on whether to proceed with the prosecution was ultimately taken by the CPS, who were hampered by outdated legislation that had not been updated by the previous Conservative government, despite the evolving nature of the state threats we face.”
“The DPP (director of prosecution) has given assurances that the CPS is not influenced by any external party, any member of this Government or any senior civil servant or special adviser working within it.
“All allegations that the government suppressed evidence, recused witnesses, or restricted witnesses from access to certain evidence are untrue.”
