A Tory parliamentary researcher arrested on suspicion of spying for China was the director of an influential policy group on Beijing co-founded by the security minister.
Chris Cash, 28, was closely linked with Tom Tugendhat and was employed as a researcher by Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the 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, where he was a head of house, and later studied history at the University of St Andrews. He became active on Westminster’s social scene and used a dating website, making several attempts last year to arrange a date with a political journalist.
When he was arrested in March a handful of ministers were informed but details of the alleged security breach were not made public until this weekend, prompting outrage from MPs who were left in the dark. The Times was unable to reach Cash for comment.
Several MPs have been outspoken in their condemnation of China’s human rights record and have been sanctioned by Beijing, including Tugendhat. They fear that they are targets for the Chinese security services. The MPs were so concerned by Cash’s arrest that they were preparing to use parliamentary privilege to name him as the suspect in the Commons this week.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the 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 [The Sunday Times]. 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 p***ed off. She’s been a nightmare on this,” he added.
A source close to Kearns 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.”
China has labelled the arrest a”political farce” and “malicious slander”.
“The claim that China is suspected of ‘stealing British intelligence’ is completely fabricated and nothing but malicious slander,” the Chinese embassy in London said in a statement published late on Sunday.
“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.”
**No security clearance**
The case is likely to raise serious questions about security. Cash was vetted as a parliamentary passholder 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: “It’s about networks and about influence. What do people in parliament think, which other people can be spoken to?”
Tugendhat was the founder and co-chairman of the China Research Group and had “infrequent” contact with 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 China Research Group with Tugendhat but had little contact with Cash.
A Tory MP and friend of Tugendhat said: “Tom has consistently warned about the threat that China poses to our democratic institutions. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s been targeted as a result.
“It also doesn’t surprise me that strengthening our defences against interference has been one of the causes that’s animated him as a minister. There’s a reason he feels so strongly about overhauling the UK’s espionage laws, setting up the Foreign Interference Registration Scheme and driving forward the Defending Democracy Task force.”
Over the past two years Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, and other senior security officials have repeatedly warned of the campaign of influence that is being exerted by Beijing. Attempts by China to change the direction of legislation and government decision making have been a key area of concern, as well its efforts to steal UK intellectual property and target technology and infrastructure.
**Networker who hosted drinks for China policy crowd**
Cash rubbed shoulders with ministers and hosted regular drinks events at Westminster.
Cash’s abrupt disappearance from Westminster in March had left acquaintances questioning what had happened, with some told he had grown jaded and decided to take a belated gap year travelling in southeast Asia.
Cash went to the fee-paying George Watson’s College, where he was a head of house, a keen rugby player and debater and the school’s youngest ever first-team cricket captain. He studied history at the University of St Andrews before spending two years teaching English literature at an international school in Hangzhou, near Shanghai, on a scheme run by the British Council.
He returned to the UK to study for an MSc in China and globalisation at King’s College London before securing employment at Westminster in 2021. He was hired as a researcher for the China Research Group, an influential group of MPs who have taken a generally critical position on China and whose successes include pressuring the government to ban Huawei equipment from the 5G network. More recently he was hired as a researcher for Kearns, working inside parliament.
The Times understands that the alleged original approach to recruit Cash by China was not made online, via a professional networking site such as LinkedIn, raising the likelihood it was through someone Cash met abroad or in the course of his parliamentary work.
One of those who knew him described him as a “very knowledgeable, very authoritative, very bright guy”.
**Serious operator**
Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said Cash was a “very serious operator” and a “skilled networker who became very embedded in the Westminster China scene”.
Cash has publicly criticised China in a number of areas but has also sometimes advocated for nuance to debates. On his now deleted account at Twitter/X, his most recent tweet was a quote from an article in the German media about the negative impact on the German economy of pursuing an EU-wide policy of “decoupling” from China.
“Desperately need this sort of worst case scenario modelling done in the UK. Otherwise we’re stuck with hazy derisking strategy ideas,” he wrote.
Cash was also active on Westminster’s social scene. He was photographed at a party at the US embassy in London last year and organised bi-monthly drinks at a pub near parliament for a “Whitehall crowd of quite young people interested in China”. The regular event, known as Westminster China Policy drinks, was popular with young civil servants, political aides, journalists and think tank staffers.
“They used to do a drinks thing, [he] would always be there, there were some young people who worked for the Foreign Office there, Hongkongers . . . it was a lot of young people interested in China,” one of those who attended said.
Another guest, who had been invited by Cash, said those attending included young Tory researchers, junior civil servants and American think tank staff.
**Active on dating app**
Cash was also active on a dating app, making several attempts last year to arrange a date with a Westminster journalist. Noa Hoffman of The Sun wrote on X that she “came extremely close to going on a date with an alleged Chinese spy”.
“We matched on Hinge last year and kept meaning to go for drinks but someone always ended up cancelling last minute,” she said. On one occasion when they were due to meet he had cancelled because he had Covid-19.
**Interference alert**
Last year the alleged work of Christine Lee, an alleged agent for the Communist Party, prompted MI5 to release a rare interference alert even though she is not believed to have accessed top secret material. She denies any wrongdoing and is understood to be suing MI5.
Matt Jukes, the Met’s assistant commissioner in charge of counter-terrorism, said earlier this year that investigations linked to threats from foreign states have quadrupled in the last two years.
The National Security Act, which became law and replaced the Official Secrets Act this summer, contains new powers to make it easier to prosecute the passing of information to hostile states. It does not apply in this case.
Cash was arrested at the same time as a second man in his thirties. Both have been released on police bail until October.
The researcher held a parliamentary pass sponsored by Kearns and last night the Tory MP Caroline Noakes called for a review of the passes. She told Times Radio: “We need them to be looking at what passes have been issued … and making sure that those who shouldn’t have them don’t.”
Billy Kenber, Senior Investigations Reporter | Steven Swinford, Political Editor | Fiona Hamilton, Chief Reporter
It’s just crazy to me you can be from this country, grow up in this country, be enveloped in its culture and willingly choose to work for a foreign government to spy on your country.
It makes even less sense to me when you have no reason to have any allegiance whatsoever to that country. If he was a Chinese citizen then, although still illegal, you could at least see what their motivation was. It seems they’re alleging all it took was a couple of years in China for him to be turned by them. What was his long game, to defect there eventually and live out the rest of his life in China never to return?
Well, looks like there’s going to be some questions for Cash….
He’s a Tory researcher. Have we now ticked all the boxes in the “Everything they tried to scare you would happen under a Labour government” bingo?
I saw Badenoch hand waving it away this morning. Apparently it’s all fine because China had legitimate concerns about ‘growing anti-Chinese sentiment’.
5 comments
A Tory parliamentary researcher arrested on suspicion of spying for China was the director of an influential policy group on Beijing co-founded by the security minister.
Chris Cash, 28, was closely linked with Tom Tugendhat and was employed as a researcher by Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the 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, where he was a head of house, and later studied history at the University of St Andrews. He became active on Westminster’s social scene and used a dating website, making several attempts last year to arrange a date with a political journalist.
When he was arrested in March a handful of ministers were informed but details of the alleged security breach were not made public until this weekend, prompting outrage from MPs who were left in the dark. The Times was unable to reach Cash for comment.
Several MPs have been outspoken in their condemnation of China’s human rights record and have been sanctioned by Beijing, including Tugendhat. They fear that they are targets for the Chinese security services. The MPs were so concerned by Cash’s arrest that they were preparing to use parliamentary privilege to name him as the suspect in the Commons this week.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the 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 [The Sunday Times]. 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 p***ed off. She’s been a nightmare on this,” he added.
A source close to Kearns 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.”
China has labelled the arrest a”political farce” and “malicious slander”.
“The claim that China is suspected of ‘stealing British intelligence’ is completely fabricated and nothing but malicious slander,” the Chinese embassy in London said in a statement published late on Sunday.
“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.”
**No security clearance**
The case is likely to raise serious questions about security. Cash was vetted as a parliamentary passholder 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: “It’s about networks and about influence. What do people in parliament think, which other people can be spoken to?”
Tugendhat was the founder and co-chairman of the China Research Group and had “infrequent” contact with 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 China Research Group with Tugendhat but had little contact with Cash.
A Tory MP and friend of Tugendhat said: “Tom has consistently warned about the threat that China poses to our democratic institutions. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s been targeted as a result.
“It also doesn’t surprise me that strengthening our defences against interference has been one of the causes that’s animated him as a minister. There’s a reason he feels so strongly about overhauling the UK’s espionage laws, setting up the Foreign Interference Registration Scheme and driving forward the Defending Democracy Task force.”
Over the past two years Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, and other senior security officials have repeatedly warned of the campaign of influence that is being exerted by Beijing. Attempts by China to change the direction of legislation and government decision making have been a key area of concern, as well its efforts to steal UK intellectual property and target technology and infrastructure.
**Networker who hosted drinks for China policy crowd**
Cash rubbed shoulders with ministers and hosted regular drinks events at Westminster.
Cash’s abrupt disappearance from Westminster in March had left acquaintances questioning what had happened, with some told he had grown jaded and decided to take a belated gap year travelling in southeast Asia.
Cash went to the fee-paying George Watson’s College, where he was a head of house, a keen rugby player and debater and the school’s youngest ever first-team cricket captain. He studied history at the University of St Andrews before spending two years teaching English literature at an international school in Hangzhou, near Shanghai, on a scheme run by the British Council.
He returned to the UK to study for an MSc in China and globalisation at King’s College London before securing employment at Westminster in 2021. He was hired as a researcher for the China Research Group, an influential group of MPs who have taken a generally critical position on China and whose successes include pressuring the government to ban Huawei equipment from the 5G network. More recently he was hired as a researcher for Kearns, working inside parliament.
The Times understands that the alleged original approach to recruit Cash by China was not made online, via a professional networking site such as LinkedIn, raising the likelihood it was through someone Cash met abroad or in the course of his parliamentary work.
One of those who knew him described him as a “very knowledgeable, very authoritative, very bright guy”.
**Serious operator**
Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said Cash was a “very serious operator” and a “skilled networker who became very embedded in the Westminster China scene”.
Cash has publicly criticised China in a number of areas but has also sometimes advocated for nuance to debates. On his now deleted account at Twitter/X, his most recent tweet was a quote from an article in the German media about the negative impact on the German economy of pursuing an EU-wide policy of “decoupling” from China.
“Desperately need this sort of worst case scenario modelling done in the UK. Otherwise we’re stuck with hazy derisking strategy ideas,” he wrote.
Cash was also active on Westminster’s social scene. He was photographed at a party at the US embassy in London last year and organised bi-monthly drinks at a pub near parliament for a “Whitehall crowd of quite young people interested in China”. The regular event, known as Westminster China Policy drinks, was popular with young civil servants, political aides, journalists and think tank staffers.
“They used to do a drinks thing, [he] would always be there, there were some young people who worked for the Foreign Office there, Hongkongers . . . it was a lot of young people interested in China,” one of those who attended said.
Another guest, who had been invited by Cash, said those attending included young Tory researchers, junior civil servants and American think tank staff.
**Active on dating app**
Cash was also active on a dating app, making several attempts last year to arrange a date with a Westminster journalist. Noa Hoffman of The Sun wrote on X that she “came extremely close to going on a date with an alleged Chinese spy”.
“We matched on Hinge last year and kept meaning to go for drinks but someone always ended up cancelling last minute,” she said. On one occasion when they were due to meet he had cancelled because he had Covid-19.
**Interference alert**
Last year the alleged work of Christine Lee, an alleged agent for the Communist Party, prompted MI5 to release a rare interference alert even though she is not believed to have accessed top secret material. She denies any wrongdoing and is understood to be suing MI5.
Matt Jukes, the Met’s assistant commissioner in charge of counter-terrorism, said earlier this year that investigations linked to threats from foreign states have quadrupled in the last two years.
The National Security Act, which became law and replaced the Official Secrets Act this summer, contains new powers to make it easier to prosecute the passing of information to hostile states. It does not apply in this case.
Cash was arrested at the same time as a second man in his thirties. Both have been released on police bail until October.
The researcher held a parliamentary pass sponsored by Kearns and last night the Tory MP Caroline Noakes called for a review of the passes. She told Times Radio: “We need them to be looking at what passes have been issued … and making sure that those who shouldn’t have them don’t.”
Billy Kenber, Senior Investigations Reporter | Steven Swinford, Political Editor | Fiona Hamilton, Chief Reporter
It’s just crazy to me you can be from this country, grow up in this country, be enveloped in its culture and willingly choose to work for a foreign government to spy on your country.
It makes even less sense to me when you have no reason to have any allegiance whatsoever to that country. If he was a Chinese citizen then, although still illegal, you could at least see what their motivation was. It seems they’re alleging all it took was a couple of years in China for him to be turned by them. What was his long game, to defect there eventually and live out the rest of his life in China never to return?
Well, looks like there’s going to be some questions for Cash….
He’s a Tory researcher. Have we now ticked all the boxes in the “Everything they tried to scare you would happen under a Labour government” bingo?
I saw Badenoch hand waving it away this morning. Apparently it’s all fine because China had legitimate concerns about ‘growing anti-Chinese sentiment’.