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Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe Foreign Office has summoned the Chinese ambassador to a meeting after three people were charged with spying for Hong Kong.Zheng Zeguang met with senior officials at 10.30am on Tuesday over the growing row after instruction from the foreign secretary, Lord David Cameron.It comes after Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, Matthew Trickett, 37, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, appeared in court on Monday charged with foreign interference and assisting a foreign intelligence service.China’s London embassy reacted with fury to the charges, describing them as a “fabrication” and an “unwarranted accusation” against Hong Kong.A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: “The FCDO was unequivocal in setting out that the recent pattern of behaviour directed by China against the UK including cyber attacks, reports of espionage links and the issuing of bounties is not acceptable.“The summons followed Monday’s announcement that three people have been charged with offences under the National Security Act as part of an investigation led by officers from the Met Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.China’s London embassy reacted with fury to the charges, describing them as a ‘fabrication’ More

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UKSign up to our Brexit email for the latest insightBrexiteers “should have considered the consequences of their actions” before complaining about a high court ruling which has potentially left UK immigration policy in chaos, a leading Northern Ireland MP has claimed.Belfast South SDLP MP Claire Hanna’s intervention came as immigration minister Tom Pursglove was answering an urgent question in the Commons on the rulong by the court in Northern Ireland that the Illegal Immigration Act does not apply in that part of the UK.Mr Pursglove insisted that the governmment “will appeal the decision” but came under fire from both sides of the House as Tory Brexiteer MPs joined the Opposition in condemning the chaos left in the UK’s immigration system.There were concerns expressed that a similar challenge on the Safety of Rwanda Act, to allow deportation flights, will also be successful in the Northern Irish high court.The problems appeared to originate from Rishi Sunak’s much vaunted Windsor Framework Agreement with the EU last year designed to try to resolve the chaotic Irish border problems eft by Brexit, which were first warned about during the 2016 Breit referendum by former prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair.Tom Pursglove answered the urgent question (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe “irresponsible actions” of Chinese state-backed hackers are making the internet less secure for the world, a British spy chief warned.GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler said responding to the “coercive and destabilising actions” of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was her “top priority”.She also highlighted the “immediate threats” posed by Russia and Iran, carrying out actions ranging from cyber attacks, espionage and surveillance.In cyberspace, we believe that the PRC’s irresponsible actions weaken the security of the internet for allAnne Keast-ButlerBut the scale of the challenge from Beijing meant GCHQ devotes “more resource to China than any other single mission”.In a speech at the Cyber UK conference in Birmingham, she said: “Through their coercive and destabilising actions, the PRC poses a significant risk to international norms and values.“In cyberspace, we believe that the PRC’s irresponsible actions weaken the security of the internet for all.“China has built an advanced set of cyber capabilities, and is taking advantage of a growing commercial ecosystem of hacking outfits and data brokers at its disposal.“China poses a genuine and increasing cyber risk to the UK.”China wanted to shape global technology standards and assert its dominance in the field within the next 10 to 15 years, she said.The UK was working with its Five Eyes intelligence allies – the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – on the challenges, she said.She added: “We have repeatedly called out Chinese cyber adversaries for activities that threaten the security of the UK or target the institutions important to our society, such as the compromise of the UK Electoral Commission.”On Russia, the GCHQ chief said there were “growing links” between Vladimir Putin’s intelligence services and proxy groups to conduct “cyber attacks, as well as suspected physical surveillance and sabotage operations”.Previously, Russia “simply created the right environment” for these groups, but it was now “nurturing and inspiring these non-state cyber actors, in some cases seemingly co-ordinating physical attacks against the West”.The threat from Russia was “acute and globally pervasive”, Ms Keast-Butler warned.She said GCHQ continued to strengthen Ukraine’s cyber capabilities and shared vital intelligence to expose “Putin’s malign plans” and reliance on states including China, North Korea and Iran.She said Iran was also “aggressive in cyberspace” and “actors associated with the state had been implicated in attacks against victims in many countries”.Tehran was continuing to develop cyber espionage expertise alongside “disruptive and destructive” capabilities.“Whilst they might not always use the most advanced capabilities to conduct their operations, they should not be underestimated,” she added.The US government has already identified and disrupted the PLA’s efforts to pre-position on our critical infrastructure networks and we are going to keep pushing backHarry CokerThe National Cyber Security Centre’s chief, Felicity Oswald, also raised concerns about China’s online activity and urged network managers to bolster their defences.She said: “The Chinese authorities have introduced a new law requiring the discovery of security vulnerabilities to be provided to the government as a priority and at risk of severe penalty. This should worry all of us.”She said the UK, US and allies had warned about the activity of the Volt Typhoon cyber group “which could be laying the groundwork for disruptive and destructive cyber attacks”.“This is a clear warning about China’s intent to hold essential networks at risk,” she said.“And it is a warning that providers of essential services in the UK cannot afford to ignore.”Harry Coker, the White House’s national cyber director, said China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) “has invested tremendous resources in building up their cyber programme” and was intent on embedding capabilities in foreign states’ civilian infrastructure to “wreak havoc” at a time of crisis.“The US government has already identified and disrupted the PLA’s efforts to pre-position on our critical infrastructure networks and we are going to keep pushing back,” he said. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA furious row has erupted over reforms set to bar MPs from Parliament if they are arrested for serious sexual or violent offences, with Grant Shapps calling the changes the “wrong side of natural justice”. MPs voted by a majority of one for the measure on Monday night. Controversially, the move was backed by former prime minister Theresa May, six years after she restored the whip to MPs accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour as she battled to save her premiership. Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who was cleared earlier this year after a four-year investigation into allegations of rape, said he was “appalled” by the move.“The principle of innocent until proven guilty has been lost,” he told The Independent.Defence Secretary Mr Shapps said: “For me, it does seem to be just on the wrong side of natural justice. And that is why I voted to say wait for a charge. But there are passionate arguments in both directions. And I can see you can make that argument in both directions.“I thought it is slightly the wrong side of the line,” he told Times Radio. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRent hikes should be capped for people struggling to afford soaring rates, according to a report commissioned by the Labour Party.Rises should be limited to either consumer price inflation or local wage growth – whichever is lower – in England and Wales, it found.Stephen Cowan’s report, commissioned by Lisa Nandy as shadow housing secretary, recommends a swathe of measures to support renters struggling with the spiralling cost of living.It will pile pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to set out his own plans to support renters. Labour has welcomed the findings, but distanced itself from the report to insist it is not party policy.Former shadow housing secretary Lisa Nandy commissioned the report More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA £40 million Government package to help develop new life-saving brain tumour research is due to be announced.The funding, which was first committed to by the Government in 2018, will be announced at a Parliamentary roundtable co-chaired by Health Minister Andrew Stephenson and chief executive of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Lucy Chappell.The investment will be used to help develop new treatments for brain tumours, as well as improve patient care, support and rehabilitation.It comes amid a collaboration between the Government, NIHR, the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM), research funders and other charities.Brain tumours remain one of the hardest to treat cancers, with just 12% adults surviving beyond five years after a diagnosis of a brain tumour.In 2018, the late Dame Tessa Jowell led calls on behalf of all patients to tackle brain tumours.A new national strategy was designed in response and the Government committed £40 million for new research.The roundtable comes during the week of the sixth anniversary of Dame Tessa’s death in May 2018.Jess Mills, daughter of Dame Tessa and chief executive of the Tessa Jowell Foundation, welcomed the announcement but stressed the need for “no more delays”.She said: “We are meeting today almost six years to the day that my mum Tessa Jowell died from Glioblastoma.“Six years on, brain cancer is still the biggest cancer killer of children and under 40s, the need for patients to gain access to new and better treatments and care is as acute as ever.“However, what is different now compared to then, is we at the TJBCM have spent six years building a thriving brain tumour community which is ready to transform brain cancer outcomes together.“Almost six years to the day that the £40 million was first committed, it is imperative now that the money is made available with the urgency that this community deserves and there are no more delays.“With this transformational investment we could unlock the potential of the cutting edge of treatment of care, which is precision medicine in every corner of the UK.”Professor Lucy Chappell, chief executive at the NIHR, said: “This transformative brain tumour research funding we are announcing is a key moment in our search for novel therapies and better treatments to save lives and improve the quality of life for patients with this condition.“We are pressing ahead in this innovative new step, made possible due to our strong and collaborative partnership with charities, patients, the life sciences industry and the brain tumour community.“As we continue this journey together, it shows the crucial value of world-leading research shaped and funded by the public, integrated across the health and care system.”Health and Secondary Care Minister Andrew Stephenson added: “Six years after Tessa Jowell’s death, I continue to be inspired by her campaign.“Brain cancer is a dreadful disease, but this latest package of research and funding, developed in partnership with the brain tumour community will help accelerate improvements in treatment and care, so that we can beat this condition and save lives.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLabour is pushing for an investigation into Welsh secretary David TC Davies for allegedly breaching the ministerial code.In yet another problem for prime minister Rishi Sunak, Mr Davies stands accused of misusing a taxpayer funded office for filming an attack on Welsh Labour’s expansion of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament).The row erupted over the weekend when a source close to Mr Davies reportedly told The Observer that a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) had been filmed in the Welsh Office in Whitehall known as Gwydyr House. The source said that Mr Davies had been forced to make his video in the taxpayer funded office because of “security reasons”, according to The Observer.However, the ministerial code states: “Ministers are provided with facilities at government expense to enable them to carry out their official duties. These facilities should not generally be used for party or constituency activities.”Welsh Secretary David TC Davies (PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailUnions and charities have accused the government of “rattling off of a tick list of culture-war talking points” over its plans to axe equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) jobs in the Civil Service. Esther McVey, the government’s “common sense” minister, claimed public money was being wasted “on woke hobby horses”, in a speech at the Centre for Policy Studies on Monday morning. Ms Mcvey said there will be no more spending on external EDI contracts, such as those with LGBT+ charity Stonewall, without an explicit sign-off from a minister, and no more EDI-focused Whitehall jobs outside human resources.However, the FDA Union, which represents professionals and managers in public services, hit back warning the changes could lead to more problems in the future. Lucille Thirlby, Assistant General Secretary of the FDA union, said: “Yet again the government is attacking the equality, diversity and inclusion spend in the civil service. It’s become a convenient punch-bag for when it wants to demonstrate that it’s taking a tough stance, when in reality these changes could actually lead to more problems in the future. “Public servants need to ensure that the services they provide reflect the needs of the public at large. How does this happen if you have reduced – or in some cases, no – specialist knowledge of how equality legislation operates?“Equality outcomes matter, and employers need specialist knowledge as do organisations providing public services. Otherwise, the Government could find itself spending a lot more money defending employment tribunals for discrimination or judicial reviews on the lack of public service provision.”Conservative minister without portfolio Esther McVey (Jeff Moore/PA) More