London: In a decisive move to address mounting political scrutiny, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday that he would release in full the witness statements provided to prosecutors in the high-profile China espionage case that recently collapsed. The decision aims to clarify the government's position and dispel allegations of political interference.
Last month, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) unexpectedly dropped charges against two men accused of passing sensitive information to a Chinese intelligence agent. The CPS cited insufficient evidence to proceed, noting that clarification from the government on China’s status as a national security threat had not been provided despite months of effort. Starmer stressed that the responsibility for this lapse lay with the previous Conservative administration, which had described Beijing as an “epoch-defining challenge” rather than a direct threat.
Starmer assured Parliament that the witness statements, submitted by Britain’s Deputy National Security Adviser, were made without ministerial or political involvement. “The case did not proceed because the policy of the past government did not meet the test that was necessary,” Starmer said. He further emphasized that claims of alterations between statements were “completely and utterly unfounded.”
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch sharply criticized Starmer, accusing the government of failing to uphold national security and alleging that the case’s collapse reflected a weakness in confronting China. “A serious case involving national security has collapsed because this government is too weak to stand up to China,” she said.
The publication of these witness statements is expected to bring greater transparency to the controversial case and potentially influence ongoing debates over the UK’s approach to China and national security policy. Analysts view Starmer’s announcement as an attempt to restore public trust and reaffirm the government’s commitment to accountability.