“It is wrong that I should be obliged to make any form of public comment on the misreporting that has taken place. However, given what has been reported, it is vital that it is known that I am completely innocent,” he said.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit in India, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed concern to Prime Minister Li Qiang. Mr. Sunak sees the cases as a possible attempt at Chinese “interference” in democracy.
Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle was due to make a statement on the issue at 13:30 GMT.
“I feel forced to respond to the media accusations that I am a ‘Chinese spy… I have spent my career to date trying to educate others about the challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party. To do what has been claimed against me in extravagant news reporting would be against everything I stand for.”
Over the weekend, police arrested another suspected spy. Police officers detained a man aged about 20 at his home in Edinburgh. The Sunday Times newspaper reported that the detainee worked as a researcher in the British Parliament.
The man was hired by Alicia Kearns, a member of Parliament from the ruling Conservative Party and also head of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He was linked to Security Minister Tom Tugendhat. Mr. Tugendhat, the founder of the China Research Group, has frequently criticized Beijing.
A man in his 30s was also arrested, police said. Both cases occurred in March on suspicion of offenses under the Official Secrets Act. The two men have been released on bail until October.
Some lawmakers, including Tugendhat, have been sanctioned by Beijing. Tory MP Alicia Kearns said she was aware of the allegations and declined to comment on them.
However, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in London called the reports “malicious slander.”
We firmly oppose it and urge relevant parties in the UK to stop their anti-China political manipulation and stop putting on such self-staged political farce.
