Aide in Beijing spy claim held meeting with China minister before police swoop
A Labor adviser suspected of spying for Beijing held a meeting with the government’s China minister at the Foreign Office shortly before his arrest, The Mail on Sunday has revealed.
David Taylor, who is being held on suspicion of aiding a foreign intelligence service, met with Seema Malhotra in her Whitehall office to prepare for her speech to the Asia House think tank in January.
On Saturday night, a State Department source confirmed that Ms. Malhotra had met with Mr. Taylor in his office, along with other Asia House representatives.
However, it was emphasized that Ms Malhotra had requested that her office be scanned for errors before and after ‘recent events’ regarding Mr Taylor.
The source added that Ms Malhotra, the Indo-Pacific minister and equalities minister, was never alone with the Labor adviser.
Sources also said they had not discussed the controversial proposal for a new Chinese ‘super embassy’ in London, which has been dubbed a ‘spy dungeon’.
Mr Taylor, husband of Labor MP Joani Reid, was among three people arrested on Wednesday as part of a wider investigation into national security crimes related to China.
All three were released on bail.
David Taylor (pictured with his wife, Labor MP Joani Reid), who is being detained on suspicion of aiding a foreign intelligence service, met Seema Malhotra in her Whitehall office to help her prepare for a speech to the Asia House think tank in January.
On Saturday night, a State Department source confirmed that Ms Malhotra (pictured) had met with Mr Taylor in his office, along with other Asia House representatives.
However, it was emphasized that Ms Malhotra had requested that her office be scanned for errors before and after ‘recent events’ regarding Mr Taylor. Image: File photo of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr Taylor, a former special adviser to Labor’s Peter Hain when he was secretary of state for Wales, is a lobbyist and director of policy and programs at his own think tank.
In a speech to Asia House in January, Ms Malhotra defended engagement with China, saying: ‘It is important that we cooperate where we can, challenge where we must, and compete where we have divergent interests… Choosing not to engage with China is simply not a choice’.
In response to the arrests, the Chinese embassy condemned attempts to “fabricate facts and organize so-called ‘espionage cases’ to maliciously slander China”, adding that it had lodged a formal protest with the British Government.
Ms Reid, who resigned from the Labor Party on Thursday while an internal party investigation was carried out, said in a statement: ‘This week has been the worst week of my life. ‘The shock of recent days has been difficult for me and my family.’
The arrests led the Conservative Party to double down on calls to prevent China from building Europe’s largest diplomatic base on the site of the former Royal Mint, near underground fibre-optic cables carrying sensitive financial information.
This newspaper also understands that earlier this month Mi5’s chief executive, Sir Ken McCallum, held a cross-party briefing in the secret Cobra bunker under Downing Street to warn of the risks of foreign interference.
In statements interpreted by some sources as a ‘shot against Reform’, Sir Ken offered to ‘research’ potential candidates from all parties in the national interest.
Questions have also been raised regarding cryptocurrency donations.
Mr Taylor, husband of Labor MP Joani Reid, was among three people arrested on Wednesday as part of a wider investigation into national security crimes related to China. All three were released on bail. Picture: Matthew Aplin (left) and Steve Jones (right), the other two men arrested
The arrests led the Conservative Party to double down on calls to thwart China’s advance with proposals to establish Europe’s largest diplomatic base on the site of the former Royal Mint (pictured, file photo), close to underground fibre-optic cables carrying sensitive financial information.
Reform UK is the only political party to accept crypto donations; other parties refuse to accept funds due to possible links to money laundering.
Reform’s record-breaking £9 million donation from British-Thai crypto businessman Christopher Harborne last year was provided in the form of cryptocurrency.
There is no suggestion that it is linked to money laundering.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman added: ‘It would be inappropriate to comment on a live police investigation.’
