Lawyer accused of being Chinese spy in UK loses legal challenge
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MI5 acted lawfully when it issued ‘interference alert’ about lawyer Christine Lee, tribunal rules. A lawyer who was accused of improperly trying to influence MPs and peers on behalf of China has lost a legal challenge against MI5, who said nearly three years ago that she was trying to interfere in the British democratic processs.
![[Christine Lee MI5 interference alert message]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/3df2cc4bd3a6e60893387410b623da244955eb61/17_17_3483_1590/master/3483.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
The investigatory powers tribunal ruled the spy agency had acted lawfully when it issued an “interference alert” in January 2022 about Christine Lee, a lawyer it accused of having “knowingly engaged in political interference activities” on behalf of Beijing.
Lord Justice Singh, sitting with Lord Boyd and Judge Rupert Jones unanimously dismissed claims brought by Lee and her son, Daniel Wilkes, against MI5, in a ruling that was in part rendered in secret. Lee is a lawyer who had been active in promoting Anglo-Chinese relations. She had once received an award from Theresa May when she was prime minister – and had donated £584,177 to the office of Labour MP Barry Gardiner.
The tribunal, led by Singh, concluded in an open, public judgment that it was satisfied that MI5’s national security concerns about Lee had “a rational basis” – but did not spell out what these concerns were for reasons of official secrecy. Sign up to First Edition.
Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters. after newsletter promotion. The reasons, the judges added, were out in a separate closed ruling, but they argued that the “national security evaluation” made by the spy agency was justified – and that it was entitled to issue the alert to MPs and peers nearly three years ago.
