The husband of a Scottish Labour MP has been arrested as part of a counter-terrorism investigation into suspected spying linked to China.
Counter-terrorism police confirmed that three men were arrested on Wednesday under the National Security Act on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. The investigation relates to China, according to police. A 39-year-old man was detained at an address in London, while a 68-year-old man was arrested in Powys, Wales, and a 43-year-old man in Pontyclun, south Wales. All three remain in custody.
Searches were carried out at several properties linked to the investigation, including locations in London, Cardiff and East Kilbride in Scotland. The operation involved officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London with support from counterparts in Wales and Scotland. The 39-year-old arrested in London has been identified as David Taylor, the husband of Scottish Labour MP Joani Reid. Reid represents East Kilbride and Strathaven and sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee.
Taylor is a lobbyist and director of Earthcott Limited, a communications and consultancy firm. He is also listed as director of policy and programmes at Asia House, a London-based think tank that focuses on political and business links between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. In a statement, Reid said she had no reason to believe her husband had broken the law.
“I have never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law.”
She added that she had no involvement in his professional activities and that her family should not be drawn into the investigation. “I am not part of my husband’s business activities and neither I nor my children are part of this investigation, and we should not be treated by media organisations as though we are.”
Reid also sought to distance herself from any suggestion of links to China, stating that she had not engaged with Chinese officials or interests during her time in Parliament. “I have never been to China. I have never spoken on China or China-related matters in the Commons. I have never asked a question on China-related matters.”
“As far as I am aware, I have never met any Chinese businesses whilst I have been an MP, any Chinese diplomats or government employees, nor raised any concern with ministers or anyone else on behalf of Chinese interests.”
Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs that the investigation relates to foreign interference targeting UK democratic institutions. He said the government would respond strongly if any attempt to interfere in the UK’s affairs was confirmed. “If there is proven evidence of attempts by China to interfere with UK sovereign affairs, we will impose severe consequences and hold all actors involved to account.”
Counter Terrorism Policing London said the arrests formed part of a proactive investigation into suspected offences under section 3 of the National Security Act 2023.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “We have seen a significant increase in our casework relating to national security in recent years, and we continue to work extremely closely with our partners to help keep the country safe and take action to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it.”
Police said they do not believe there is any immediate threat to the public. Investigations are continuing.
Why am I not suprised…..
I cannot begin to express how supine we look in diplomacy terms and how much China laughter at us as we gutted our military and then our diplomatic corps and spent it on foreign aid.
Madness
We are rapidly becoming the laughing stock of the Western World. The French now seem to be the political power in Europe a ladder we seem to have slipped down to the bottom rung.
Careful, a lot of labour fans on this site.
They may declare a jihad on you for calling out Labours closeness to China
I think it is more desperation that drives Labour’s pro China economic policies.
They can’t raise taxes as the bond markets won’t stand for it. They can’t cut spending in the short term as PLP won’t stand for it. So growth is the only way out. The problem is that to generate growth you need to cut the burdens of high energy costs, labour taxes or improve productivity, none of which are possible, or shake the manic money tree of investment.
Which circles back to China.
It is that simple I’m afraid.
Unfortunately neoliberalism has created a dependency on Chinese industry, we cannot just shake that off.. plus the reality is china is the new maritime superpower, we are not we need to find out how we live within the new structure of great power politics.. personally all I really give a shite about in descending order
1) Security and prosperity of the UK
2) security and stability of our near European neighbours
3) security and prosperity of wider British overseas territories ( including the BAT)
4) security and stability of wider European
5) security and stability of the peripheral areas of interest that affect trade routes and access to key materials and markets.North American, Northern Africa, western Indian Ocean
6) relationships with specific strategic allies in the eastern Indian Ocean and South Pacific
7) having beneficial trading relationships with every nation we can
So china sits in my 7… a nation we should try to have beneficial trade with.. but that’s your lot.
Although, oddly, in spite of the dire RN & RFA fleets UK could be the naval manufacturing superpower of NATO.
The Cyprus fiasco won’t help image which won’t help sales I’m afraid which is why Micron was so keen to grandstand as it will help with the two bids up against A120/40.
Yep one thing Italy and France learnt was that your navies are the shop window of your naval shipbuilding industry…
Yes, I’m a traditional Conservative voter, but have to say Cameron/Boris and any other you care to mention were appalling especially in the area of defence. I had hoped a new broom would sweep clean, but no, just more of the same crap.
Hell, you’ll get no argument here
Snap, same with many of us I feel.
How on earth does she not expect to be included in the investigations?
Remember the last trial collapsed….watch this space.
I heard her statement on the radio, “nothing to do with me guv, I have no knowledge of my husbands business affairs, no clue what he does, nothing to do with me or the kids, no clue, husband who?” sort of shit! Typical shoulder sloping Labour dross!
World corruption index: “The UK now sits at 20th in the global ranking, a sharp drop from its position just outside the top ten in 2021.” In terms of spying it’s amazing how much political corruption there is in Westminster and how cheaply people sell their country out for. It’s usually for a deluded sense of self-aggrandisement or a few thousand pounds. The UK is rapidly turning into South Africa.
More good news….