Tories warned by MI5 that MP candidates could be Chinese spies as former security chief says row is a 'wake-up call'

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The Conservatives have reportedly ruled out two potential candidates to become MPs after MI5 warned they could be Chinese spies.

They are of an old national security case. The adviser told The Independent that the Chinese spying scandal is a “wake-up call” for British society as a whole.

Ministers continue to be facing questions over spying allegations at Westminster after arrest. of a parliamentary researcher suspected of spying for Beijing.

The security services advised the conservative party in 2021 and 2022 that the two parliamentary candidates should not appear on its central list of candidates, according to The Times.

The newspaper quoted an anonymous source as saying: “It was made very clear that they posed a risk. They were then excluded from the list of candidates. We didn't tell them why. »

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “When we receive credible information regarding security concerns regarding potential candidates, we act accordingly. »

The two conservatives – who were on CCHQ's central candidate list – reportedly had ties to the United Front Work Department, the part of the Chinese Communist Party that aims to exert influence in Other countries.

Conservative minister Maria Caulfield said the party took “rapid action” to drop two potential candidates. “They were removed from the list. They are not running for office. Any intelligence that comes to us just shows that we will take it very seriously; the same with the parliamentary researcher,” she told Times Radio.

There are fears of a potential network of Chinese agents in Westminster, following the arrest of the parliamentary researcher. The revelation prompted Rishi Sunak to confront Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang at the recent G20 summit over “unacceptable” interference.

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