The government published bombshell evidence in the aborted China spy case last night revealing how a parliamentary aide allegedly passed on secrets to Beijing within hours.
Sensitive information on MPs, China-related government policies and the ‘inner workings of the British political system’ were allegedly passed on by parliamentary researcher Chris Cash, 30, to his teacher friend Chris Berry, 33, who compiled reports for Beijing.
In just 13 hours, Mr Berry was able to produce reports for his Chinese handler, known only as Alex, after receiving parliamentary information from Mr Cash, it was alleged.
Among the tips apparently passed on included information about former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss and ex-security minister Tom Tugendhat and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns MP.
On June 1, 2022 a message entitled ‘Didn’t hear it from me’ was passed to Beijing claiming that a vote of no confidence in then Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be triggered in the next few days.
Mr Berry allegedly received a tasking from ‘Alex’ via an encrypted messaging application the next day relating to Mr Johnson stepping down and the implications if Tom Tugendhat were to become prime minister.
Months later, information was passed to China that Mr Tugendhat would almost certainly obtain a cabinet position from Mr Sunak in exchange for his ‘support on foreign policy matters’, it was said.
Mr Cash allegedly sent a voice note on an encrypted messaging app telling Mr Berry that this information was ‘very off the record’ and that he definitely should not tell his ‘Zhejiang interlocutor’.
Sensitive information on MPs, China-related government policies and the ‘inner workings of the British political system’ were allegedly passed on by parliamentary researcher Chris Cash, 30, to his teacher friend Chris Berry, 33, pictured, who compiled reports for Beijing
On another occasion, Mr Cash is said to have told Mr Berry that Tory leadership contender Jeremy Hunt was likely to pull out of the leadership race and back Mr Tugendhat.
Mr Cash apparently told Mr Berry that this was ‘v v confidential (defo don’t share with your new employer)’.
The information was described as highly valuable for the Chinese intelligence services, who quizzed Mr Berry about each appointment to ascertain the effect on the government’s China policies.
In his witness statement, Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins said the information would provide China ‘advanced detail of who they need not focus intelligence resource on.’
He added: ‘This pre-emptive knowledge may have given the Chinese state an understanding of the likely outcome of democratic process to choose the leader of the governing political party as well as allowing them to assess to what extent that outcome would affect the UK’s position on China.’
Mr Berry is said to have met with a senior China Communist leader in Hangzhou in July 2022 to the excitement of Mr Cash who told him: ‘You’re in spy territory now’.
Mr Berry was also accused of producing a report for Beijing that a ban on the import of products from Xinjiang would likely not come into force until 2023.
Mr Cash allegedly told Mr Berry that, despite public statements to the contrary, the government was not planning to take measures which could harm the prospect of doing business with China.
Mr Cash also allegedly handed over ‘non-public details’ on the Government forcing a Chinese-owned firm to sell its 86 per cent stake in the Newport Wafer Fab semiconductor plant in South Wales.
Mr Berry is said to have offered Mr Cash payment in December 2022 if he could provide a report on the ‘level of communication between the UK and US on matters relating to Xinjiang as well as what specific measures the US and UK would take’.
The files also contained information on then Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s view on sanctions in respect of the import of products from Xinjiang.
In his witness statement, Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins, pictured, said the information would provide China ‘advanced detail of who they need not focus intelligence resource on.’
Among the tips apparently passed on included information about former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss
Mr Berry also allegedly told Beijing there was very little interest in pursuing a government-led investigation into Huawei’s role in fixing Russian internet services.
Reviewing the evidence against the pair, Mr Colllins said: ‘From reviewing the exhibits provided to me by SO15 (counter terrorism police), I can see that Mr Berry was tasked by ‘Alex’ to obtain information and analysis about the inner workings of the British political system.
‘Specifically, Mr Berry was tasked to obtain information about topics which were directly or indirectly useful to the Chinese state.’
Mr Collins assessed that the material was highly valuable to China adding: ‘It is highly unlikely that one of the most senior officials in China would meet with Mr Berry unless the Chinese state considered him to be someone who could obtain valuable information. The short amount of time that Mr Berry was given to provide the requested information and analysis indicates to me that it may have been used to inform real-time decision making.’
In a series of witness statements from February to August this year, Mr Collins said China was ‘the biggest state-based threat to the UK’s economic security’, but his evidence fell short of declaring an enemy, which led to the espionage case collapsing in September.
Mr Collins would only say said a ‘wide range of UK government and commercial targets’ had been attacked by ‘advanced persistent threat’ (APT) groups which had been attributed to China’s Ministry of State Security.
Both suspects had denied charges under the Official Secrets Act, which were dropped on September 15.
Last night, Mr Cash said: ‘I wish to reiterate that I am completely innocent. Not just because the case against me was dropped, but because at no point did I ever intentionally assist Chinese intelligence.
‘As I said to the police when I was arrested, such a suggestion is against everything I stand for. I have, for a long time, been concerned by the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the United Kingdom and, prior to these false allegations, was working to inform parliamentarians and the public about those risks.
‘I have been placed in an impossible position. I have not had the daylight of a public trial to show my innocence, and I should not have to take part in a trial by media.’
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