Revealed: British spy suspect at the heart of power

‘Chinese agent’ unmasked as GP’s son who attended public school and uses dating app.

Chris Cash was working for the chairwoman of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee

A Tory parliamentary researcher arrested on suspicion of spying for China was the director of a policy group on Beijing co-founded by British Security Minister Tom Tugendhat.

Chris Cash, 28, was closely linked with Mr Tugendhat and was employed as a researcher by Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee.

The suspect is the son of a GP and grew up in a wealthy suburb of Edinburgh. He went to the fee-paying George Watson’s College and later studied history at the University of St Andrews. He ­became active on Westminster’s social scene and used a dating website, with a political journalist saying he made several ­attempts last year to arrange a date with her.

When Mr Cash was arrested in March a handful of ministers were informed but details of the alleged security breach were not made public until last weekend, prompting outrage from MPs who were left in the dark. Mr Cash was arrested at the same time as a second man in his 30s. Both are on police bail until next month.

Several MPs have been outspoken in their condemnation of China’s human rights record and have been sanctioned by Beijing, including Mr Tugendhat. They fear that they are targets for the Chinese security services. The MPs were so concerned by Mr Cash’s arrest that they were preparing to use parliamentary privilege to name him as the suspect in the Commons this week.

Iain Duncan Smith, a former Tory leader who has been sanctioned by China, said: “It’s a ­remarkably dangerous situation. This is a guy who allegedly spies on behalf of the Chinese government in the place where decisions are made and sensitive information is transferred. It is vitally important that he is named because many people who came into contact with this individual will be unaware that he has been arrested on suspicion of espionage. There is a clear public interest.”

Another Tory MP who has been sanctioned by China said: “I’m in a complete state of shock. We weren’t told about this, we haven’t been given any support. All sanctioned MPs should have been told. How many more people are there in parliament who might be targeting us?”

A third sanctioned Tory MP said: “We didn’t know anything until we read it in the paper. I feel incredibly let down.”

Another MP who has been the focus of attention by China said: “We need to know how much information from the foreign affairs select committee this man had access to. Alicia didn’t tell anyone. We’re all really pissed off. She’s been a nightmare on this.”

A source close to Ms Kearns, however, said: “Preposterous suggestions that Alicia should have breached all police and intelligence requests not to discuss this case could only come from individuals with zero understanding of legal investigations or intelligence work.”

The case is likely to raise serious questions about security. Mr Cash was vetted as a parliamentary pass holder but did not have a security clearance.

The Times understands that the material exchanged was not necessarily classified or top ­secret. However, a security source said that information did not need to be top secret to be highly sensitive and valuable to China, adding: “It’s about networks and about influence. What do people in parliament think, which other people can be spoken to?”

Mr Tugendhat was the founder and co-chairman of the China Research Group and had “infrequent” contact with Mr Cash during his time in the role. He has had no contact with him since he was appointed Security Minister under Liz Truss. Neil O’Brien, who is now a health minister, co-chaired the CRG with Mr Tugendhat but had little contact with Mr Cash.

Over the past two years MI5 director-general Ken McCallum has warned of attempts by China to change the direction of legislation and government decision-making, as well its efforts to steal British intellectual property.

The Times