• UK PM Keir Starmer to release witness statements in a collapsed China espionage case.
• The Crown Prosecution Service dropped charges due to lack of evidence from the government.
• Opposition parties criticize the government for potentially protecting ties with China.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to publish evidence related to a collapsed investigation into espionage charges against two individuals accused of spying for China. The announcement aims to address the ongoing controversy and criticism stemming from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropping the charges due to insufficient evidence that China posed a threat to UK national security, which was needed to proceed with prosecution, according to SCMP and Reuters.

Starmer attributed the failure of the prosecution to the policies of the previous Conservative government, which had characterized China merely as an “epoch-defining challenge.” He emphasized that the current administration would release witness statements prepared by Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins, asserting that these statements were made without political influence, according to TRT Global and Reuters.

The CPS revealed the case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry collapsed as evidence was lacking to demonstrate that their actions threatened national security. Legal experts have voiced concerns regarding the decision and the implications for the CPS, suggesting that clear allegations of espionage should inherently indicate a threat, as highlighted in statements from Collins and noted by SCMP and Reuters.

In the aftermath of the collapse, opposition leaders, including Kemi Badenoch from the Conservative Party, accused Starmer's government of failing to take a firm stance against China, suggesting that it was "too weak" to confront the issue. They have called for comprehensive publication of all related evidence to address still unanswered questions, reflecting deep political tensions over national security representation, according to SCMP and Reuters.