Liz Truss urges government to classify China as a ‘threat’ amid spying allegations

Liz Truss has urged the government to classify China as a “threat” amid the unfolding news that a former parliamentary researcher has been arrested under the Official Secrets Act.

The individual is accused of spying for China.

On Monday morning, Kemi Badenoch, the business and trade secretary, chose to term China a “challenge”, sticking to the wording of the government’s integrated security review refresh which called the Asian power an “epoch-defining challenge”.

The parliamentary researcher who is the subject of the “spy” reports is understood to have had links to security minister Tom Tugendhat, foreign affairs committee chairperson Alicia Kearns and other senior Conservative MPs.

Asked on Sky News about the reports of a “Chinese Spy”, Badenoch said there is an “ongoing investigation by the security services”, adding it is concerning to MPs because “our legislature is an area that should be safe from spying”.