British police have arrested three men on suspicion of spying for China, one of whom turned out to be the husband of Labour MP Joanie Reid.
This is reported by the BBC and The Telegraph.
London police said a 39-year-old man had been arrested in London and two others in Wales as part of a counter-terrorism investigation. All three suspects are now in custody.
One of those arrested is David Taylor, who worked as a lobbyist for energy companies and was a special adviser to the Labour government in Wales.
His wife, the MP Joanie Reid, won the position in the 2024 election and currently serves on the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee.
Reid said she had never seen anything that would lead her to suspect her husband of “breaking any law”. She insisted she was not involved in Taylor’s business dealings. She added that she had never been to China or worked on China-related issues in the House of Commons.
Speaking in the House of Commons after the arrests, Security Minister Dan Jarvis threatened “severe consequences” if Chinese interference in UK affairs was proven.
“This government is determined to oppose foreign interference directed against Britain by any state entity,” Jarvis told MPs.
He added that British officials had informed Chinese counterparts in London and Beijing about the allegations.
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