A Labour MP whose husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China has said she’s “never seen anything” to make her suspect him of breaking the law.
Joani Reid, who was elected in East Kilbride and Strathaven at the last general election, issued a statement after the Metropolitan Police announced three arrests on Wednesday.
The force did not name the suspects – all men, aged 39, 43, and 68 – but one of them is her husband, David Taylor.
All three are in custody as part of a counter-terrorism investigation under the National Security Act.
Ms Reid said: “I have never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law.
“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.
“Above all I expect media organisations to respect my children’s privacy.”
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She also said she had never been to China, never spoken about the country or its regime in parliament, and also never knowingly met any Chinese businesses, diplomats, or government employees while serving as an MP.
“I am not any sort of admirer or apologist for the Chinese Communist Party’s dictatorship,” she added.
Ms Reid is the granddaughter of trade unionist Jimmy Reid and served as a councillor in Lewisham, south London, for eight years before becoming an MP.
Her husband is listed on the MP’s register of interests as a director of Earthcott Limited, a lobbying firm.
Government ‘deeply concerned’
Security minister Dan Jarvis made a statement in the Commons following news of the arrests.
He told MPs the government – which has sought to forge closer economic ties with China – is “deeply concerned by an increasing pattern of covert activity from Chinese state-linked actors targeting UK democracy”.
“If there is proven evidence of attempts by China to interfere with UK sovereign affairs, we will impose severe consequences and hold all actors involved to account,” he added.
Tories question Labour’s China approach
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited Beijing earlier this year and planning permission has been granted for a controversial “super embassy” in London.
Mr Jarvis told MPs “it continues to be in our long-term strategic interests to engage with China”.
But the Conservatives accused Labour of pursuing a “failed policy of appeasement”.
Shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart called for the Chinese ambassador to the UK to be summoned and told interference “will no longer be tolerated”.
He also said China should be placed on the highest tier of the government’s Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
