\n<\/p>\n
Jarvis<\/strong> says MI5 issued an espionage alert earlier today to MPs, peers and parliamentary staff. (See 12.18pm.)<\/p>\n He urges all parliamentarians to read it.<\/p>\n He says China is trying to contact MPs and peers to get sensitive information about parliament.<\/p>\n He says Chinese agents are trying to contact with access to this sensitive information. They are sometimes posing as headhunters, or as people working for cover companies. He says there is a low threshold for the sort of information they find useful.<\/p>\n This is an attempt to interfere in British politics, he says.<\/p>\n Jarvis added the government will not tolerate \u201ccovert and calculated\u201d attempts by China to interfere with the UK\u2019s sovereign affairs.<\/p>\n UPDATE:<\/em> Jarvis<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n Let me speak plainly.<\/p>\n This activity involves a covert and calculated attempt by a foreign power to interfer in our sovereign affairs in favour of its own interests, and this government will not tolerate it.<\/p>\n It builds on a pattern of activity that we have seen from China with cyber-operations by China state-affiliated actors targeting parliamentary emails in 2021, attempted foreign interference activity by Christine Lee in 2022 and other more recent cases.<\/p>\n We will take all necessary measures to protect our national interests, our citizens and our democratic way of life, including working with our allies and partners.<\/p>\n <\/span>Dan Jarvis speaking in the Commons<\/span> Photograph: HoCShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.30 EST<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n 21m ago<\/p>\n Jarvis says government developing ‘proscription-type tool’ to counter organisations involved in Chinese spying<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 27m ago<\/p>\n Jarvis says government willing to use sanctions to respond to cyber-attacks from Chinese firms<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 42m ago<\/p>\n Jarvis says penalties of election interference are going to be increased<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 46m ago<\/p>\n Jarvis tells MPs Chinese spying operation amounts to interference in British democracy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 50m ago<\/p>\n Dan Jarvis, security minister, makes statement to MPs about spying by China<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 55m ago<\/p>\n Ofcom receives complaints over GB News item on defendants\u2019 \u2018foreign-sounding names\u2019<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1h ago<\/p>\n Reform UK’s plan to further slash overseas aid would damage national interest, charities say<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1h ago<\/p>\n MPs warned to avoid China-linked agents trying to contact them on LinkedIn, ahead of statement by security minister<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Badenoch accuses Reform UK of deceiving voters with claim it could easily abandon post-Brexit EU trade deal<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Farege claims Reform UK could get ‘much better’ post-Brexit trade deal from EU<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Farage says any claims made by Reform UK campaigners in local elections to cut council tax were not officially sanctioned<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Farage accuses female journalist of playing ‘silly little game’ after she asks about Reform’s likely choice for chancellor<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Farage says proposal to take items like jewellery from asylum seekers ‘a gimmick’<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Reform UK policy chief Zia Yusuf claims Labour spending on foreigners, to deteriment of British nationals, is ‘treachery’<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Badenoch says Labour is raising taxes in budget ‘to pay for Starmer’s weakness on welfare cuts’<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 3h ago<\/p>\n Steve Reed suggests Labour MPs have duty to support asylum plans, saying manifesto promised secure borders<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4h ago<\/p>\n Most Reform UK voters would back wealth tax on very rich, poll suggests<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4h ago<\/p>\n Alf Dubs says he’s ‘depressed’ by Labour’s asylum plans, which are ‘going in wrong direction’<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 4h ago<\/p>\n Reform UK’s plan to cut EU citizens\u2019 benefits would risk trade war with Europe, Labour claims<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/span>Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Cabinet Office<\/strong> has sent out details of what it calls the \u201cCounter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan\u201d announced by Dan Jarvis. It says:<\/p>\n Dan Jarvis has told MPs that he will coordinate a new Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan to disrupt and deter spying from states like China.<\/p>\n The plan will see the intelligence services deliver security briefings for political parties and issue new guidance to election candidates to help them recognise, resist and report suspicious activity; work with professional networking sites to make them a more hostile operating environment for spies; and tighten rules on political donations through a new elections bill \u2026<\/p>\n \u00a3170m will be invested in renewing the sovereign and encrypted technology that civil servants use to safeguard sensitive work. A further \u00a3130m will be invested on projects such as building Counter Terrorism Policing\u2019s ability to enforce the National Security Act, and fund the National Cyber Security Centre\u2019s and National Protective Security Authority\u2019s work with critical businesses to protect their intellectual property.<\/p>\n [Jarvis] also informed parliament that the government had completed the removal of surveillance equipment manufactured by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of the People\u2019s Republic of China from all sensitive sites the government operates around the world.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n In his statement Jarvis<\/strong> said the government was working on new powers to ban organisations like the Chinese ones involved in spying. He said:<\/p>\n I can confirm we are also working on new powers to counter foreign interference, including a Mr Jarvis added: \u201cI can confirm we are also working on new powers to counter foreign interference, including a proscription-type tool to disrupt proxy organisations undermining our security and an extension to maximum penalties for election interference offences.\u201dto disrupt proxy organisations undermining our security and an extension to maximum penalties for election interference offences.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Jarvis<\/strong> says the UK is a trading company, and it trades with countries that have different cultures. China is an important trading partner, he says.<\/p>\n But the government will always act to protect the national interest, he says.<\/p>\n He ends by saying the government will cooperate where it can, but challenge China when it has to.<\/p>\n UPDATE:<\/em> Jarvis said:<\/p>\n We will always, always, challenge any country, including China, that attempts to interfere, influence or undermine the integrity of our democratic institutions, and we will take all necessary measures to protect UK national security.<\/p>\n That is why we have taken the action today and I am clear that further steps can absolutely be taken. Disrupting and deterring China\u2019s espionage activity wherever it takes place, updating our security powers to keep pace with the threat, helping those who work in politics to recognise, resist and report the threat, and working with partners across the economy to strengthen their security against the threat.<\/p>\n Our strategy is not just to co-operate. We will engage China where necessary, but we will always act to defend our interests and challenge where our values are threatened.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.10 EST<\/p>\n Jarvis<\/strong> says three Chinese firms involved in cyber-attacks have already been called out.<\/p>\n And the government will continue to fight back against malicious cyber-activity from China.<\/p>\n The government will use all the tools at its disposal, including sanctions if necessary.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Jarvis<\/strong> says the government will also increase the support available to businesses to help them respond to the threat from cyber-espionage.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Jarvis<\/strong> turns to education.<\/p>\n This is one of the UK\u2019s most important assets, in part because of its respect for freedom of speech.<\/p>\n States like China are trying to interfer with research done by British universties, and influence what happens on campus.<\/p>\n He says the government has raised this with China.<\/p>\n But the government will also organise an event to discuss the threat with university leaders.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Jarvis<\/strong> says, as security minister, he sees the diligence of law enforcement.<\/p>\n Knowing China\u2019s low-threshold for spying, the government is investing \u00a3170m sovereign encrypted technology for use by official bodies.<\/p>\n Surveillance technology linked to China has been removed from UK sites, he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Jarvis<\/strong> says Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has spoken to her Chinese counterpart about this.<\/p>\n She said any activity that threatened democracy would not be tolerated, he says.<\/p>\n He says today he is announcing a counter-interference and espionage plan.<\/p>\n This will include legislative changes, including a bill tightening the rules on foreign donations, the elections bill. There will be tougher risk assesssment rules for donors and recipients. Penalties for election interference offences will be increased.<\/p>\n There will also be new guidance for politicians and candidates, including security briefings for parties.<\/p>\n And the government will take steps to \u201cdegrade the ecosystem of proxy cover companies\u201d. These are organisations being used by foreign states, he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.57 EST<\/p>\n Jarvis<\/strong> says MI5 issued an espionage alert earlier today to MPs, peers and parliamentary staff. (See 12.18pm.)<\/p>\n He urges all parliamentarians to read it.<\/p>\n He says China is trying to contact MPs and peers to get sensitive information about parliament.<\/p>\n He says Chinese agents are trying to contact with access to this sensitive information. They are sometimes posing as headhunters, or as people working for cover companies. He says there is a low threshold for the sort of information they find useful.<\/p>\n This is an attempt to interfere in British politics, he says.<\/p>\n Jarvis added the government will not tolerate \u201ccovert and calculated\u201d attempts by China to interfere with the UK\u2019s sovereign affairs.<\/p>\n UPDATE:<\/em> Jarvis<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n Let me speak plainly.<\/p>\n This activity involves a covert and calculated attempt by a foreign power to interfer in our sovereign affairs in favour of its own interests, and this government will not tolerate it.<\/p>\n It builds on a pattern of activity that we have seen from China with cyber-operations by China state-affiliated actors targeting parliamentary emails in 2021, attempted foreign interference activity by Christine Lee in 2022 and other more recent cases.<\/p>\n We will take all necessary measures to protect our national interests, our citizens and our democratic way of life, including working with our allies and partners.<\/p>\n <\/span>Dan Jarvis speaking in the Commons<\/span> Photograph: HoCShare<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.30 EST<\/p>\n Dan Jarvis<\/strong>, the security minister, is making his statement now.<\/p>\n He says it is about Chinese espionage targeting democratic institutions in the UK.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n GB News has been accused of risking inflaming tensions over crime committed by migrants after presenting unscientific research that counted the number of defendants with \u201cforeign-sounding names\u201d, Michael Savage<\/strong> reports. One of the complaints came from Anna Sabine<\/strong>, the Liberal Democrats\u2019 culture, media and sport spokesperson, who said the GB News methodology was \u201cunverified and frankly racist\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Peter Walker<\/span><\/p>\n Peter Walker is the Guardian\u2019s senior political correspondent.<\/em><\/p>\n Reform UK\u2019s plans to slash overseas aid by more than 90% would cause \u201cirreversible\u201d damage to the UK\u2019s national interests and would cost money in the long term, aid groups have argued.<\/p>\n The proposal on aid was among a series of measures unveiled at a Reform press conference on Tuesday morning explicitly aimed at spending as little money as possible on foreign nationals.<\/p>\n Zia Yusuf,<\/strong> the party\u2019s head of policy, said there would be a \u201chard cap\u201d of \u00a31bn a year, allowing commitments to Ukraine and to keep the UK\u2019s place at multinational organisations like the UN and IMF but essentially nothing else.<\/p>\n Spending on overseas aid has already been reduced from 0.7% of national income to 0.5%, and will fall to 0.3% in 2027. Even at 0.3% of national income, aid spending will remain above \u00a39bn annually. Under the Reform plan it would total about 0.03% of national income.<\/p>\n Gideon Rabinowitz from Bond<\/strong>, a network of UK NGOs, said the policy would \u201ccause irreversible damage to the UK\u2019s safety and national security in an increasingly unstable world, as well as to its global reputation as a reliable partner\u201d.<\/p>\n He said:<\/p>\n Cutting the already-diminished UK aid budget will not fill the hole in the UK\u2019s public finances and only create new challenges. UK aid brings a huge return on investment: it helps to prevent conflict and build peace in fragile countries, fights the spread of diseases before they reach our shores, and leads to fewer people forced to flee their homes due to conflict and crisis. Slashing UK aid now would mean paying far more later down the line in security, health, and humanitarian costs.<\/p>\n George Graham from Save the Children UK<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n Slashing the budget for international aid and co-operation won\u2019t just turn our backs on children and partners around the world, it will undermine our national interest.<\/p>\n Covid 19 was a stark demonstration that no-one is safe until everyone is. And the UK\u2019s security and economy depend on global stability. Conflict, poverty, and climate disasters drive displacement, fuel instability, and ultimately threaten our safety at home.<\/p>\n Our recent polling with More in Common shows that more than 60% of people think the UK should either be a leader or play a large role in international affairs. The public know that you don\u2019t create prosperity by pretending global issues don\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Dan Jarvis, the security minister, will soon make a statement to MPs about spying by China. (See 11.41am.)<\/p>\n Ahead of that, MPs and peers have just been sent an email from the parliamentary authorities highlighting an espionage alert sent by MI5. It says:<\/p>\n This alert highlights how the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is actively reaching out to individuals in our community. Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.<\/p>\n The alert names two recruitment headhunters who are said to be \u201cusing LinkedIn profiles to conduct outreach at scale on behalf of MSS\u201d. And it says \u201cother similar profiles are acting as fronts for espionage\u201d.<\/p>\n The email says the alert was issued by MI5 because \u201cthe activity is targeted and widespread\u201d.<\/p>\n It also urges MPs and peers to read guidance on how to stay safe on networking sites. And it urges them to report any suspicious activities.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.19 EST<\/p>\n There are two ministerial statements in the Commons after 12.30pm.<\/p>\n 12.30pm:<\/em> Dan Jarvis, the security minister, on spying by China, and the government\u2019s response.<\/p>\n Around 1.30pm:<\/em> Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, on Gaza and Sudan.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n At her press conference Kemi Badenoch<\/strong> accused Nigel Farage of deceiving voters with his proposal to save \u00a36bn a year by removing benefits from EU nationals with settled status.<\/p>\n She said it was \u201ccompletely ridiculous\u201d for Farage to claim that he could easily renegotiate the post-Brexit trade deal (which covered the rights for EU nationals with settled status). She said<\/p>\n It would be a bad idea because we spent a lot of time negotiating those rights, not just for EU citizens in this country, but British citizens in other countries of the EU.<\/p>\n You start unpicking that and you start unpicking all of the work that was done, year after year after year, with a lot of pain and effort during those years when we were negotiating Brexit.<\/p>\n Badenoch also said Farage \u201cdoes not know what he\u2019s talking about\u201d.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a former trade secretary. Even with friendly countries, trade negotiations are very, very difficult.<\/p>\n It is wrong of him to deceive people, lie to them and make them think this is going to be easy.<\/p>\n <\/span>Kemi Badenoch and Mel Stride holding their press conference.<\/span> Photograph: Lucy North\/PAShare<\/p>\n The Reform UK press conference is over. It covered aid spending and immigration. This morning Chris Mullin<\/strong>, the former Labour Foreign Office minister, made the point on social media that the two topics are linked.<\/p>\n Main driver of illegal migration is the disintegration of countries around periphery of fortress Europe. Only long term solution is to help them become functioning market economies. Yet, ironically, those who feel strongest about migration are equally opposed to overseas aid.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Q: [From Peter Walker from the Guardian] Have you modelled the consequences of your policy on EU nationals, if the EU were to hit back on trade?<\/em><\/p>\n Farage<\/strong> says the UK is still buying lots of cars and champagne from the EU. There are good and bad things that happen. He says he is confident that they can get a \u201cmuch better\u201d deal with the EU.<\/p>\n Q: And what do you feel about Matthew Goodwin, the new president of your student organisation, saying that minorty ethnic people born in the UK are not necessarily British. Doesn\u2019t that show you are you no longer keeping the far-right at a distance, as you have done in the past?<\/em><\/p>\n Farage<\/strong> says Peter is right to say he has always kept the far-right at distance. He says that what Goodwin said was more nuanced than has been reported. And when they set up a youth wing, they knew that people would say difficult things, he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n Q: On what basis are you saying the NHS surcharge should be \u00a32,718? And, when the surcharge has gone up in the past, the exemptions have increased too.<\/em><\/p>\n Farage<\/strong> says, if he tried to go to Australia and did not have the funds, he would be let in.<\/p>\n Yusuf<\/strong> says the \u00a32,718 figure is based on a government figure based on the per capita cost of the NHS. The last government set the NHS surcharge at just 38% of that, he says.<\/p>\n And he says the birth rate for non-UK nationals is 30% higher than it is for Britons. He says each birth costs the NHS \u00a35,500.<\/p>\n Share<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jarvis tells MPs Chinese spying operation amounts to interference in British democracy Jarvis says MI5 issued an espionage alert earlier today to MPs, peers and parliamentary staff. (See 12.18pm.) He urges all parliamentarians to read it. He says China is trying to contact MPs and peers to get sensitive information about parliament. He says Chinese<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[19524,4261,6433,13578,132,7686,1354,414,124,6723,1060],"class_list":{"0":"post-34285","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics","8":"tag-amounts","9":"tag-chinese","10":"tag-democracy","11":"tag-interference","12":"tag-live","13":"tag-mi5","14":"tag-minister","15":"tag-mps","16":"tag-politics","17":"tag-spying","18":"tag-warns"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/34286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Jarvis says government developing ‘proscription-type tool’ to counter organisations involved in Chinese spying<\/h2>\n
Jarvis says government willing to use sanctions to respond to cyber-attacks from Chinese firms<\/h2>\n
Jarvis says penalties of election interference are going to be increased<\/h2>\n
Jarvis tells MPs Chinese spying operation amounts to interference in British democracy<\/h2>\n
Dan Jarvis, security minister, makes statement to MPs about spying by China<\/h2>\n
Ofcom receives complaints over GB News item on defendants\u2019 \u2018foreign-sounding names\u2019<\/h2>\n
Reform UK’s plan to further slash overseas aid would damage national interest, charities say<\/h2>\n
MPs warned to avoid China-linked agents trying to contact them on LinkedIn, ahead of statement by security minister<\/h2>\n
Badenoch accuses Reform UK of deceiving voters with claim it could easily abandon post-Brexit EU trade deal<\/h2>\n
Farege claims Reform UK could get ‘much better’ post-Brexit trade deal from EU<\/h2>\n