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 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.
This is an attempt to interfere in British politics, he says.
Jarvis added the government will not tolerate “covert and calculated” attempts by China to interfere with the UK’s sovereign affairs.
UPDATE: Jarvis said:
Let me speak plainly.
This activity involves a covert and calculated attempt by a foreign power to interfere in our sovereign affairs in favour of its own interests, and this government will not tolerate it.
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.
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.
Dan Jarvis speaking in the Commons Photograph: HoCShare
Updated at 08.56 EST
Key events
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20s ago
Minister says government still hasn’t decided whether China will join Russia and Iran in Firs enhanced tier
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Starmer urges cabinet colleagues to avoid ‘distractions’ and focus on delivering for public
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48m ago
Jarvis says government developing ‘proscription-type tool’ to counter organisations involved in Chinese spying
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54m ago
Jarvis says government willing to use sanctions to respond to cyber-attacks from Chinese firms
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1h ago
Jarvis says penalties of election interference are going to be increased
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Jarvis tells MPs Chinese spying operation amounts to interference in British democracy
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Minister says government still hasn’t decided whether China will join Russia and Iran in Firs enhanced tier
Back in the Commons, Alicia Kearns, a shadow Home Office minister, called for China to be placed in the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs). This would mean that, for the purposes of Firs, China would not be treated as a normal country, but as a hostile power. As a result, the Firs rules would be stricter.
She said:
Instead of the communications plan and private closed-door meetings announced today, we urge the government to put China in the enhanced tier of the Firs scheme.
We also hear of multiple government visits planned to China before Christmas and the New Year. Will these now be cancelled? Because what message does it send when, despite an attack on this House, our parliament, ministers are happily jetting off to stride down red carpets with the government responsible?
Kearns also urged the government to reject China’s application to build a “super-embassy” in the centre of London.
In response, on Firs, Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said:
We are looking closely at whether it is necessary to make further additions onto the enhanced tier, but I can say to her that no decision has yet been made.
So far, only Russia and Iran have been placed in the enhanced tier for Firs.
And, on the “super-embassy”, he said that a decision would be made by Steve Reed, the housing secretary (who deals with critical planning applications), acting in “quasi-judicial capacity”.
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Starmer urges cabinet colleagues to avoid ‘distractions’ and focus on delivering for public
Keir Starmer warned his cabinet against “distractions” after days of Labour civil war and Budget leaks, Downing Street has said.
Giving reporters a readout from cabinet today, the PM’s spokesperson said:
The prime minister opened cabinet by setting out the importance of the government’s mandate to renew the country. He said distractions meant our focus shifted from where it mattered most – working every day in the service of the British people.
The prime minister said next week’s budget would prioritise rebuilding the economy, showing what the government stands for. The prime minister said people were rightly impatient for change and we had to deliver that, rather than talk about ourselves. That meant working as one team, delivering opportunity and security and delivering on our mandate.
Given that the government briefing which caused most difficulty last week was the suggestion from No 10 sources that Starmer was getting ready to fight off a leadership challenge from Wes Streeting, ministers may have felt that the PM’s lecture might have been better directed at his own staff.
Asked if the comments could be seen as an apology by Starmer to his colleagues, the spokesperson said he would not accept that characterisation.
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The Cabinet Office has sent out details of what it calls the “Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan” announced by Dan Jarvis. It says:
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.
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 …
£170m will be invested in renewing the sovereign and encrypted technology that civil servants use to safeguard sensitive work. A further £130m will be invested on projects such as building Counter Terrorism Policing’s ability to enforce the National Security Act, and fund the National Cyber Security Centre’s and National Protective Security Authority’s work with critical businesses to protect their intellectual property.
[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’s Republic of China from all sensitive sites the government operates around the world.
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Jarvis says government developing ‘proscription-type tool’ to counter organisations involved in Chinese spying
In his statement Jarvis said the government was working on new powers to ban organisations like the Chinese ones involved in spying. He said:
I can confirm we are also working on new powers to counter foreign interference, including a Mr Jarvis added: “I 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.”to disrupt proxy organisations undermining our security and an extension to maximum penalties for election interference offences.
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Jarvis says the UK is a trading company, and it trades with countries that have different cultures. China is an important trading partner, he says.
But the government will always act to protect the national interest, he says.
He ends by saying the government will cooperate where it can, but challenge China when it has to.
UPDATE: Jarvis said:
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.
That is why we have taken the action today and I am clear that further steps can absolutely be taken. Disrupting and deterring China’s 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.
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.
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Updated at 08.10 EST
Jarvis says government willing to use sanctions to respond to cyber-attacks from Chinese firms
Jarvis says three Chinese firms involved in cyber-attacks have already been called out.
And the government will continue to fight back against malicious cyber-activity from China.
The government will use all the tools at its disposal, including sanctions if necessary.
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Jarvis says the government will also increase the support available to businesses to help them respond to the threat from cyber-espionage.
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Jarvis turns to education.
This is one of the UK’s most important assets, in part because of its respect for freedom of speech.
States like China are trying to interfer with research done by British universties, and influence what happens on campus.
He says the government has raised this with China.
But the government will also organise an event to discuss the threat with university leaders.
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Jarvis says, as security minister, he sees the diligence of law enforcement.
Knowing China’s low-threshold for spying, the government is investing £170m sovereign encrypted technology for use by official bodies.
Surveillance technology linked to China has been removed from UK sites, he says.
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Jarvis says penalties of election interference are going to be increased
Jarvis says Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has spoken to her Chinese counterpart about this.
She said any activity that threatened democracy would not be tolerated, he says.
He says today he is announcing a counter-interference and espionage plan.
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.
There will also be new guidance for politicians and candidates, including security briefings for parties.
And the government will take steps to “degrade the ecosystem of proxy cover companies”. These are organisations being used by foreign states, he says.
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Updated at 07.57 EST
