According to reports, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons in the UK, is considering implementing stricter measures to restrict entry of Chinese citizens and personnel from Chinese-funded institutions into the Parliament building in response to the recent controversial decision to drop charges in the “Chinese espionage case” that has shaken the political scene.
The UK’s Telegraph cited sources revealing that Hoyle has discussed with European Parliament officials the possibility of adopting measures similar to those taken by the European Parliament to limit the access of Chinese officials and representatives of Chinese enterprises to prevent Beijing’s influence penetration.
Last year, the European Parliament banned lobbying personnel related to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from entering the parliament building and temporarily restricted the entry of Chinese diplomats. While some of these measures have been relaxed this year, they are considered as the EU’s precautionary measures against Beijing’s political influence. Hoyle is considering whether similar regulations can be implemented in the UK Parliament.
It is reported that as early as the late 2010s, the UK House of Commons rejected around 30 Parliamentary passes requested by Chinese media due to concerns that some “reporters” were actually intelligence agents. These passes would have allowed the holders to freely enter and exit Westminster Palace.
Sources revealed that Hoyle is deeply angered by the recent dropping of charges in two cases involving suspected Chinese spies due to lack of evidence, and is even considering launching private prosecutions. He has also requested the administrative department of the House of Commons to review the system for foreign media journalists applying for entry passes.
The case stemmed from two British citizens, parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash and teacher Christopher Berry, who were charged with violating the 1911 Official Secrets Act by allegedly providing internal parliamentary information to senior Chinese Communist Party officials.
However, the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on September 15 this year that charges were dropped, citing lack of sufficient evidence provided by the government to prove that “China posed a threat to the national security of the UK,” leading to the threshold of evidence for prosecution or conviction not being met. Critics accuse the government of failing to clearly define China as a “hostile state,” leading to the collapse of the case.
Following the dismissal of the case, the Conservative Party accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Security Minister Dan Jarvis of misleading the Parliament by not fully cooperating with the prosecution.
According to The Times, on September 1 this year, a high-level meeting was held at Downing Street with National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell and Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald in attendance, discussing how the trial of spies “could damage the UK-China relationship.”
A government spokesperson later denied political interference, claiming that the testimonies of government officials had been submitted prior to the meeting. Since taking office in July 2024, the Starmer government has been trying to maintain security measures while promoting economic and trade exchanges with China. The political aftermath of the espionage case has once again put this diplomatic balance to a severe test.