Homes in Scotland, Oxfordshire, and East London Searched in Counter-Espionage Operation

A researcher working in the House of Commons has been arrested under the Official Secrets Act on suspicion of spying for China. The man, aged in his 20s, was taken into custody in Edinburgh by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command. Reports from The Sunday Times suggest the researcher, who holds a parliamentary pass and is British, has connections with several high-profile Conservative MPs, including security minister Tom Tugendhat and foreign affairs committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns. It is also reported that he previously lived and worked in China.

Kearns acknowledged being aware of the situation but declined to comment. A source close to her suggested the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targets UK parliamentary figures who stand in opposition to its influence. The source further warned that the allegations, if true, represented a serious escalation in Chinese efforts to undermine key political figures.

The second man, in his 30s, was arrested in Oxfordshire, with searches conducted at properties in both Oxfordshire and East London. Both men were released on bail pending further investigation, with inquiries continuing under the oversight of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, which handles espionage and Official Secrets Act violations.

The arrests come just after the UK’s Intelligence and Security Committee issued a warning in July about Beijing’s aggressive targeting of the UK. Last year, MI5 issued a rare public alert about a suspected Chinese agent, Christine Lee, who had engaged in “political interference” activities, which also involved Labour MP Barry Gardiner. This new development comes amid ongoing tensions between China and the UK, particularly with regard to foreign policy, as highlighted by recent visits and criticisms involving Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s trip to Beijing.

Prominent figures, including former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, have called for a more stringent stance against China’s growing influence, pointing to the latest spy arrest as a stark reminder of the CCP’s deepening threat under President Xi Jinping.

Both Downing Street and the House of Commons have declined to comment on the matter due to security protocols.