Security services issue warning regarding Chinese political infiltration

Westminster is very excited because a person who works for the Parliament got arrested for possibly being a spy for China.

Last year, Ken McCallum, who is in charge of MI5, gave a talk about the dangers to Britain’s safety. He cautioned that the Chinese Communist Party is strategically planning for the long term.

They not only want to influence important politicians from different political parties but also younger people starting their careers in public life, slowly making them feel obligated to them.

We got a big clue about what Mr. McCallum was talking about last weekend when we found out about the arrest.

The Times newspaper reported that China is trying to influence people in less important positions in politics. They said that MI5, a British intelligence agency, warned the Conservative Party in 2021 and 2022 that two potential candidates for Parliament might be working as spies for China.

The Conservatives have neither confirmed nor denied the story. A spokesperson said that if they receive trustworthy information about security concerns regarding potential candidates, they take action.

The newspaper did not give any information about the people who might become candidates, or how close they were to being chosen.

Two trusted sources told the BBC that the security services have sometimes cautioned the Conservative Party to be cautious of individuals who are trying to succeed in politics.

However, they mentioned that these warnings are not common and they usually do not provide specific reasons for suspecting the individuals involved. The security services do not regularly check the backgrounds of Conservative candidates. Instead, they reach out to them first if they have any concerns.

The BBC has learned that important officials in the government have been told not to talk about secret work in pubs near Parliament because they are worried that spies from other countries could listen in.

One person said they were told that in crowded places around Westminster, you can’t be sure who is present, and that rumors about politicians or officials can be useful for foreign influence operations.

They said that the warnings were not about people who work as researchers for parliament being foreign agents, but that others nearby who seem to be either employees of parliament or visitors might actually be spies.