UK Chinese Spying Case Collapses Amid Fears of Upsetting Beijing

Two men, Christopher Cash (30), former director of the China Research Group think-tank, and Christopher Berry (33), a researcher for a senior lawmaker, were arrested in March 2023 over suspicions of spying for China.

In April 2024, they were charged under the 1911 Official Secrets Act for allegedly passing politically sensitive information to a Chinese intelligence agent known as "Alex." Both men denied wrongdoing, and China called the allegations “fabricated and malicious.”

Surprisingly, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the charges on September 15, 2025, citing that the case no longer met the evidential threshold.

Why Did the Case Collapse?

Critics have accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labor government of undermining the prosecution to avoid upsetting China, with attention focused on National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell.

The UK government denies this, insisting the decision was made independently by the CPS. Starmer expressed disappointment that the trial did not proceed.

The CPS added that it had requested additional evidence from the government for months, which it believed was essential for the case, but did not receive sufficient support.

The Legal Dispute

The collapse hinged on the wording of the charges under the Official Secrets Act, which criminalizes sharing information that could be useful to "an enemy."

• When charged, China was described as an "epoch-defining challenge" but not officially a threat.

• In July 2024, a Court of Appeal ruling clarified that an “enemy” under the Act must be a country that represents a current threat to UK national security.

Following this, the CPS sought further evidence confirming China as a threat at the time of the alleged offenses. The government stated that the additional statements reflected the official position under the previous Conservative administration. Starmer has promised these statements will be published.

Who Is Right?

Legal experts suggest that the CPS and government may have both mismanaged the case. If the CPS had enough evidence in April 2024, the Court of Appeal ruling might have actually strengthened their position.

Critics remain unconvinced, arguing the government appeared reluctant to publicly label China a threat, potentially due to the diplomatic and economic implications of doing so.