Three men suspected of spying for China have been arrested in the United Kingdom, with one identified as the husband of a sitting Labour Party Member of Parliament, in a case that has raised fresh concerns about foreign interference in British democracy.
The Metropolitan Police announced on Wednesday that the trio were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, in violation of the National Security Act 2023.
Authorities said the suspects have not been formally charged and were therefore not named publicly. A 39-year-old man was arrested in London, a 68-year-old in Powys, Wales, and a 43-year-old in Pontyclun, Wales.
Amid mounting speculation, Labour MP Joani Reid confirmed that her husband was among those arrested. Reid represents the Scottish constituency of East Kilbride and Strathaven.
In a public statement, she acknowledged the arrest of her 39-year-old husband (widely identified as David Taylor) but firmly denied any personal involvement.
“I have never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law,” Reid said, as quoted by NBC News.
“I am not part of my husband’s business activities and neither I nor my children are part of this investigation, and we should not be treated by media organisations as though we are.”
The arrests are the latest in a series of cases involving alleged espionage or political interference linked to China.
In November 2025, Britain’s domestic intelligence agency MI5 warned lawmakers that Chinese agents were making “targeted and widespread” attempts to recruit and cultivate MPs through platforms like LinkedIn and front companies.
Beijing has repeatedly denied the allegations, describing them as fabrications and malicious slander.
UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis said British officials had formally raised concerns with Chinese counterparts over the latest arrests.
“The Government has been consistent and unambiguous in our assessment that China presents a series of threats to the United Kingdom,” Jarvis said. “We remain deeply concerned by an increasing pattern of covert activity from Chinese state-linked actors targeting U.K. democracy.”
Police sought to reassure the public, with Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing in London, stating there is no believed imminent or direct threat to the public.
“We have seen a significant increase in our casework relating to national security in recent years,” Flanagan said, adding that security agencies are working closely with partners to disrupt suspected malign activity.
The arrests sparked strong political reactions, particularly from the opposition.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to adopt a tougher stance against Beijing.
In a video address on X, Badenoch said: “The spouse of a sitting Labour MP has reportedly been arrested for spying alongside partner of former Labour MP. These men were arrested under the National Security Act suspected of assisting a foreign intelligence service directly targeting our democracy.”
“China is targeting Britain, targeting all MPs — enough,” she added.
Badenoch accused Starmer of being soft on Beijing, referencing his recent diplomatic engagement with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Keir Starmer chose to go to Beijing and boasted about opening a direct channel to President Xi without getting anything in return. That was a mistake,” she said. “The government needs to stop being naive, grow a backbone, and treat China like the threat we all know it is.”
