Zürcher Nachrichten - UK's Starmer publishes evidence in collapsed China spy case

Starmer's government has faced accusations of killing the case to protect relations with China, and his Labour administration and the independent prosecutors have been rowing over why it failed to proceed to trial.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the case collapsed because the government's evidence did not show that China represented a threat to national security at the time of the alleged offences.

Starmer, a former chief state prosecutor himself, has said the government was only able to submit evidence from the time of the alleged offences, which occurred between 2021 and 2023, when the Conservative party was in power.

Earlier Wednesday, he told parliament he would publish "in full" the three statements prepared by deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins for prosecutors.

The government published the witness statements online Wednesday evening.

In the most recent statement, from August 2025, Collins told investigators the Chinese intelligence services are "highly capable", and said they "conduct large scale espionage operations against the UK to advance the Chinese state's interests and harm the interests and security of the UK".

"Chinese espionage operations threaten the UK's economic prosperity and resilience and the integrity of our democratic institutions," he said.

- 'Stench of scandal' -

The Conservative opposition blasted the release, however.

"It is disappointing that it has taken significant pressure... to force this weak prime minister to publish this limited information -- which falls short of what was requested," a Conservative spokesperson said.

"The China files must now be published in full and without delay. Until that time, the stench of scandal will hang around this government."

Starmer denied claims, pushed by the Conservatives, that officials privately lobbied for the charges to be dropped over fears a prosecution could prompt China to pull its investment in the UK.

"Under this government, no minister or special adviser played any role in the provision of evidence," the prime minister said.

Charges against Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, were dropped last month, two years after they were arrested on allegations of collecting information that could be "useful to an enemy".

They had denied the accusations.

Starmer told lawmakers he was "deeply disappointed by the outcome" of the case. "We wanted to see prosecutions," he said.

The UK leader has set about trying to improve relations with China, becoming the first British prime minister in six years to meet President Xi Jinping last year.

His government covets Chinese investment to spur a struggling economy. It is also considering whether to allow Beijing to build a sprawling new embassy in London, which has triggered concern among residents and rights advocates.

J.Hasler--NZN