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Ministers are under increasing pressure to act after an alleged Chinese spy became a close confidant of the Duke of York and reportedly met two former prime ministers, as MPs threatened to name him if the courts do not.
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith accused a “weak” Labour government of not wanting to be seen to criticise China, while the shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said the public deserved to know the “full facts” behind the case, warning “we cannot turn a blind eye”.
As calls mounted, Lord Patton, the last governor of Hong Kong accused the government of being “too soft” on China and urged minsters to set out a “pretty clear statement” on their policy towards the state. The demands came as home secretary Yvette Cooper claimed the government’s approach was “complex” because Britain needed to have economic co-operation with China – even as she warned the communist state the UK would take a “very strong approach” to national security.
On Monday, Mr Duncan Smith will seek to drag ministers to the Commons to answers questions on the scandal by tabling an Urgent Question. There were warnings of a “major security breach” after reports on Sunday that David Cameron met the businessman at a reception in Downing Street.
The businessman is also reported to have met a second former prime minister, Baroness May, and kept pictures of both of them in his London office.
Earlier this week, Prince Andrew’s connections to the alleged spy became the latest scandal to engulf the Duke of York, after the man was barred from the UK because he was judged likely to pose a threat to national security.
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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has told The Independent he could name the businessman, known only as H6, as early as Wednesday if the courts do not.
He said his party may use parliamentary privilege – which provides legal immunity for MPs – to reveal the name of the man in the House of Commons.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the courts should name him. “The spy should be named – I hope the court change or cancel their anonymity order. There may be other people who have had contact with that person,” he said.
The businessman, who liked to divide his time between China and UK, had previously been granted indefinite leave to remain in Britain where he established himself as a close confidant of the Duke of York.
Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle said the man had been thought to pose a threat “especially in his relationship with Prince Andrew”, which is why he was barred from coming to the UK.
She also said: “I can’t tell you anything (about him) because it is a security and intelligence issue and the courts have made some decisions about that.”
But she warned Mr Farage to be “very careful” before using parliamentary privilege to name him.
However, a leading businessman added his name to those expressing concerns over the man’s identity. James Reed, the chief executive of Reed Group, told the BBC: “I’m wondering who this spy is… it is so important to know who somebody is and who you can trust.”
Mr Duncan Smith told The Independent his urgent question would ask ministers: “What do they know and are they going to take action?”
“This is a blatant attempt to gain access to organs of government, of which the royal family is one, and also to government, as now there are prime ministers that have been photographed with this character,” he said.
He accused Ms Cooper of making a “very weak” statement, adding: “It’s essentially saying we have to deal with China, and that comes with risks. Well, they’re not just risks.”
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He accused the government of being “desperate about growth”, and claimed that it “doesn’t want to answer this question, they don’t want to criticise China, they don’t want to call in the ambassador”.
Ms Patel said: “We should be in no doubt that China represents a threat to the national security of our country. As this case of the spy at the heart of the Whitehall has shown, there is substantial evidence that China works to undermine our institutions and the very values which underpin our country.
“It is in the public interest to know the full facts behind the spy, their motivation and statecraft. We cannot turn a blind eye to the hostile incursions of China which have persisted for over a decade and continue to breach trust between our two countries.”
Labour mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham described reports Lord Cameron had met the alleged spy in No 10 as a “major security breach”.
Labour grandee Baroness Harman said the government, parliamentarians, the royal family and society more widely had to “up our game” in spotting the potential threats in relation to China.
An expert on China, Jemimah Steinfeld, the chief executive of Index on Censorship, said the case was a “wake-up call” for the country.
Asked about calls from former Conservative security minister Tom Tugendhat for an investigation, Mr Philp said: “This needs looking at very carefully.”
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He said he was “deeply concerned” by the alleged activities of the Chinese Communist Party in the UK and warned people in public life to be “extremely vigilant”. He added: “I think everybody in public life and involved in business and academia needs to think very, very carefully about people who might be connected to the Chinese state.
“I think in fairness to Prince Andrew, as soon as he was warned of the risk he cut all contact but this does illustrate the risks are there and everyone needs to be extremely vigilant.”
Mr Philp said the Chinese Communist Party has been “engaging in organised and systemic attempts to influence political life” for many years.
He said: “I’m deeply concerned by the activities of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Former Conservative education secretary Gillian Keegan said: “We do need to be more vigilant… they are the biggest strategic threat we have”.
Asked on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme what her message to China would be, Ms Cooper said: “We will continue to take a very strong approach to our national security, that includes to any challenge to our national security including to our economic security from China, from other countries around the world, that will always be the approach that we will take.
“Of course, with China we also need to make sure we have that economic interaction, economic co-operation in place as well. So it’s a complex arrangement.”
