Key China spy case witness removed reference to 'enemy' from evidence under Tories

A key witness in the China spying case removed the term "enemy" from the final draft of a witness statement submitted to prosecutors, because it did not reflect government policy at the time.

In a letter to MPs, deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins said the word "enemy" was included in the draft witness statement written when the Conservatives were in power.

But he said he told police investigating the case he "could not call China an "enemy" as this did not reflect government policy".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been accused by the Conservatives of allowing the case to collapse earlier this year by not describing China as a threat to national security.

Charges against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry - who deny the allegations - were dropped in September.

The Labour government, the Conservatives and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are facing questions over the collapse of the case and who was to blame.

Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions (DPP) said the case fell apart because evidence could not be obtained from the government referring to China as a national security threat.

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, which is made up of senior MPs and peers, launched an inquiry last week.

Among those giving evidence will be Collins, who provided prosecutors with three witness statements, which were published by the government last week.

Collins has now submitted evidence in a letter to the committee before appearing in front of MPs.

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