Newslinks for Monday 20th October 2025 | Conservative Home

Tory targets of ‘China spies’ urge PM not to show weakness

“Tory MPs who were the alleged targets of spying have demanded that the prime minister designate China a ­top-tier threat, reject Beijing’s mega-embassy and impose sanctions on the Communist Party officials involved. Alicia Kearns and Tom Tugendhat told Sir Keir Starmer that “inaction shows weakness, and weakness invites aggression”. In a letter to the prime minister last night they warned that the collapse of the trial of Chris Cash and Christopher Berry, accused of passing secret information to Beijing, sent a dangerous signal that adversaries could conduct espionage against MPs “with impunity”. Cash, former director of the China Research Group, worked for Tug­endhat before the MP became security minister, and then for Kearns, a former chair of the foreign affairs committee. Cash and Berry have denied wrong­doing but the collapse of their trial has resulted in a weeks-long controversy about whether the government withheld crucial evidence to protect its relationship with Beijing. Tugendhat and Kearns said Starmer had to act decisively to show Beijing the UK would not tolerate espionage. They called on him to place China alongside Russia and Iran in the enhanced tier of the foreign registration scheme, designed to increase transparency regarding foreign influence in the UK. They also urged Starmer to refuse permission for China’s “super-embassy” in east London, citing concerns by parliament’s security committ­ee about the access it would provide to fibre-optic cables, data centres and telecommunications exchanges. The embassy would also provide an opportunity to expand the “epic scale” of China’s intelligence-gathering and intimidation operations, they warned. A decision on the application has been delayed.” – The Times

• Tories plot last-ditch attempt to block Chagos deal over China spying fears  – GB News
• Chinese embassy approval could be unlawful if UK ministers gave advance assurances – The Guardian
• Parliament considering crackdown on Chinese visitors – Daily Telegraph
• Treasury opposed forced sale of China’s stake in UK chipmaker – The Times

Comment:

• The ‘China spies’ wanted to divide hawks like me — and it worked – Luke de Pulford, The Times
• Britain does not know how to engage with hostile nations – David Blair, Daily Telegraph
• MI5 chief’s China threat verdict should ring alarm bells in Westminster – Duncan Barkes, Daily Express
• Labour dithering means sleaze is winning – Edward Lucas, The Times

Police urged to reveal how they define Islamophobia by Tory MP

“Police forces and prosecutors have been urged to stop referring to “Islamophobia” amid a row over the definition of the term. Nick Timothy, a former Downing Street chief of staff under Theresa May, has raised concerns with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and College of Policing. The Labour Government has been consulting on a definition for Islamophobia, triggering debate in Westminster about the term and how it should be applied. While critics are concerned it could be used to stifle debate, supporters argue it is a useful way to track hatred against Muslims. There are indications that Steve Reed, who replaced Angela Rayner as Communities Secretary, will use the phrase “anti-Muslim hate” rather than “Islamophobia” when he unveils the conclusions of the work. Mr Timothy, the MP for West Suffolk and a Telegraph columnist, said he was worried that police forces and prosecutors had already been adopting the term “Islamophobia” and had raised his concerns with Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, and Andy Marsh, the chief executive of the College of Policing. In a letter to them, he said: “I urge you to produce new guidance to make clear to your officers and prosecutors that the law exists to protect people from harm and discrimination, but not to protect religious ideas and beliefs from scrutiny or criticism.”” – Daily Telegraph

• Government set to soften definition of Islamophobia – The Times
• Labour must answer questions on Islamophobia amid ‘drip-drip’ of information – Daily Express

Comment:

• The Government does not need a definition of anti-Muslim hate – Telegraph View

Shocking evidence of grooming gangs in London uncovered

“Sadiq Khan has been accused of covering up evidence of grooming gangs in London after an Express investigation. The Mayor of London read reports of young girls being raped in hotels by groups of men while publicly denying there were any grooming gangs in the capital. The children were also plied with drugs and had their lives threatened, evidence uncovered by the Express and MyLondon shows. Grooming gang whistleblower Maggie Oliver told the Express that the cases followed “the same pattern” she had seen with Greater Manchester Police’s cover-up of the Rochdale scandal. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP, accused Khan of being part of a “cover-up” and called for accountability. The mayor and the Metropolitan Police have consistently claimed to have “no reports” of Rochdale or Rotherham-style rape gangs in the capital, with Khan suggesting there was “no indication” they exist. However, in the pages of four different His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services reports from 2016-2025, which the Mayor of London personally responded to, we found details of six potential victims. When these case studies were assessed by Rochdale whistleblower detective Maggie Oliver and care professional and author Chris Wild, they found “red flags” of grooming gang abuse. Oliver told us she was certain three victims could be described as victims of a grooming gang.” – Daily Express

• Leading candidates to chair grooming gangs inquiry revealed – with both set to face a survivors’ panel this week – Sky News
• Met Police ‘the last bastion of cover-up’ when it comes to grooming gangs, says Dame Maggie Oliver – MyLondon

Comment:

• I exposed Sadiq Khan’s grooming gang scandal – 1 thing made my jaw drop – Zak Garner-Purkis, Daily Express

Green Party membership overtakes Tories – and Reform in VAT review

“The Greens have more members than the Conservatives for the first time ever following a dramatic surge in support under their new leader. Another 1,000 people signed up this morning alone as Zack Polanski appeared on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. The party now has more than 126,000 members, compared to the 123,000 the Tories were said to have back in July. Polanski said the trend shows “British politics is changing and support for old-style parties built on privilege and power is shrinking”… HuffPost UK revealed last week that the Greens planned to overtake the Tories and then set their sights on replacing Labour as a left-wing alternative to Reform UK. On Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Polanski said a Green government would seek to eventually take the UK out of NATO and instead form a military alliance with the European Union.” – Huffington Post

• Reform reviews whether it underpaid VAT after Times investigation – The Times
• Starmer warned of ‘Green wave’ exodus over Reform obsession – The Times
• Green Party leader defends wealth tax proposals – BBC News

Comment:

• Farage’s duplicity on Russia makes him totally unfit to lead our country – Ian Birrell, The i

> Today: Farage, Polanksi, and the perils of choice

News in brief:

• Caerphilly is crumbling to Reform – Brad Evans, Unherd
• Make Englishmen’s homes their castles again – Liam Deacon, The Critic
• In defence of the rules-based order – Sam Leith, The Spectator
• Build, baby, build? Not without serious property tax reform – Mitchell Palmer, CityAM