The Speaker of the UK Parliament, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has asked MPs not to discuss the details of a China spying case that is currently under investigation.
Hoyle said that the Metropolitan Police had confirmed that two men had been arrested and were on bail until October. He added that the investigation was “sensitive” and that any public discussion of the case could prejudice the outcome.
Hoyle also said that MPs should not speculate about the case or comment on the details. He said that the media reporting of the case had been “unhelpful” and that MPs should avoid doing anything that could further jeopardize the investigation.
The case is believed to involve a parliamentary researcher who is suspected of passing information to Chinese intelligence. The researcher has not been named and it is not clear what information they are alleged to have passed on.
The investigation is being led by the Met’s counter-terrorism unit. The Met has said that it is “continuing to gather evidence” and that the investigation is “ongoing”.
The case has raised concerns about security at Parliament and the potential for Chinese spies to infiltrate British institutions. It is also likely to damage relations between the UK and China.
The Speaker’s request to MPs not to discuss the case is likely to be difficult to enforce. However, it is important that MPs respect the ongoing investigation and avoid doing anything that could jeopardize the outcome.
