MI5 issues urgent warning over Chinese national attempting to influence UK politicians
MI5 has circulated a warning to MPs and peers regarding a female Chinese national attempting to seek improper influence over parliamentarians.
The individual is named as Christine Lee in the “interference alert”, and is described as being “knowingly engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist party”.
Ms Lee is reportedly involved in the China Overseas Friendship Association and the British-Chinese Project. She is also listed as a donor for Labour MP and staunch Corbyn ally Barry Gardiner.
The email sent to MPs from the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons notes that the CCP-affiliated UFWD “is seeking to covertly interfere in UK politics through establishing links with established and aspiring parliamentarians across the political spectrum” and to “cultivate relationships with influential figures”.
“facilitated financial donations to serving and aspiring parliamentarians on behalf of foreign nationals based in Hong Kong and China”.
Iain Duncan Smith and Tobias Ellwood both urged updates from the government in the House of Commons following the revelations earlier today.
“The key issue here is I understand that Mr Speaker has been contacted by MI5 and is now warning members of parliament that there has been an agent of the Chinese government active here in parliament,” former Conservative leader Duncan Smith explained.
This appears to be the inaugural interference alert to be released regarding a Chinese national in the UK. Such interference alerts rarely issued, and this usually takes place after UK spy agencies and parliamentary authorities have discussed the matter.
This follows the expulsion of three alleged Chinese spies in 2020, who M15 said had been posing as journalists.
