A partner of a Labour MP is among three men who have been arrested in London and Wales on suspicion of spying for China, it has been alleged.
Three men were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed.
The country to which the investigation is related to is China.
One of the men is a partner of a sitting Labour MP and another is understood to be the partner of a former Labour MP, the Guardian reports.
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Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “Today’s arrests are part of a proactive investigation and while these are serious matters, we do not believe there to be any imminent or direct threat to the public relating to this.
"Our investigation continues, and we thank the public for their ongoing support.”
A 39-year-old man at a London address, a 68-year-old man at an address in Powys and a 43-year-old man in Pontyclun, both in Wales, have been taken into custody.
As part of the investigation, searches were also carried out at three other addresses in London, East Kilbride and Cardiff.
Two of the men arrested have been associated with Labour MPs, it has been alleged
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Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, said in the House of Commons: "I can confirm that this relates to China. I can also confirm this relates to foreign interference targeting UK democracy.
"For reasons that you will understand, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any aspect of what is now a live investigation.
“It is absolutely critical that we do not hamper the work of the police or prejudice any future legal processes by what we say in this House today.
“I would, however, point the House to what the counter terrorism police have just said in their own statement, namely, that this morning officers from counter terrorism policing arrested three men as part of an investigation into suspected National Security Act 2023 offences.
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Dan Jarvis, security minister, addressed the House of Commons today on the arrests
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The security minister said however, that it "continues to be in our long-term strategic interest to engage with China".
Shadow Cabinet Office minister, Alex Burghart said in response to the news: "Here we are again, another year, another Chinese spy scandal, and the backdrop to it is this Government’s failed policy of appeasement.
“The Government must now surely be coming to the realisation that unless the United Kingdom stands up to these threats, our country will continue to be treated with disdain.”
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