5 h. ago Spain's former king says Princess Diana was 'cold, distant, except in the presence of paparazzi' and denies having an affair with her in new memoir

Juan Carlos, the disgraced former monarch who is alleged to have had innumerable extramarital affairs, also denied ever having an affair with Princess Diana

Politics

10 h. ago Defence lawyers would have used Tories’ statements to dismiss China spy case, attorney general says

Richard Hermer says failure by Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly to describe China as a threat would have been seized on in trialDefence lawyers would have used Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly’s statements about China to dismiss a case against two men charged with spying for Beijing, the attorney general has argued.Richard Hermer told parliament that “there would have been plenty of reference” by Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry’s lawyers to Conservative ministers’ policy positions had the trial gone ahead. Continue reading...

Society

12 h. ago Attorney general hits out at ‘disgraceful allegations’ made towards PM in China spy case

Lord Hermer also said that he is ‘extremely concerned’ about the impact the case may have had about the public’s trust in the UK’s national security and criminal justice systems

Events

12 h. ago Lord Hermer condemns 'disgraceful allegations' that Starmer and Jonathan Powell collapsed China spy case

Lord Richard Hermer said he had been both disappointed and surprised that the trial of Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry had collapsed.

Politics

13 h. ago Hermer blames collapse of China spy case on law ‘not fit for purpose’

The Attorney General said prosecutors had been working in ‘good faith’ to secure a conviction.

Politics

52 h. ago Refusal to dub China a threat was ‘total roadblock’ to spying case, says lead barrister

The director of public prosecutions said the failure to describe China as an active threat to national security was ‘fatal’ to the case

Events

54 h. ago China spy case evidence was not strong enough for trial, says chief prosecutor

Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, insisted the failure of the case was not ‘a question of blame’.

Events

5 d. ago Key witness removed word ‘enemy’ from evidence over China spy case as spotlight turns on Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak was the only politician to be sent the final draft of Collins’ statement, according to letter from national security adviser

Politics

5 d. ago China ‘enemy’ reference was removed from spy case evidence ‘to fit Tory policy’

National security adviser Jonathan Powell said Counter Terror Police and the Crown Prosecution Service were aware of the change.

Events

5 d. ago Rishi Sunak only politician to see witness statement in China spy case

Statement from security adviser, viewed by then prime minister, did not describe China as enemyRishi Sunak was the only politician to see a witness statement by the deputy national security adviser at the centre of a controversy about the collapse of a case against two British men accused of spying for China.According to letters sent to the joint committee on the national security strategy, the statement from Matthew Collins in December 2023, which was seen by the then prime minister and his advisers, did not describe China as an enemy, another key element of the case. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Foreign Office and Home Office drop demand for security changes at new Chinese mega

EXCLUSIVE: Two Whitehall departments had been requesting that a planning condition be a new ‘hard perimeter’ for part of the controversial new diplomatic complex at Royal Mint Court in Tower Hamlets

Society

6 d. ago Government says Attorney General was not involved in collapsed China spy case

Robert Jenrick had asked why Baron Richard Hermer had not provided evidence to stop the case collapsing.

Politics

8 d. ago Hermer and Jones summoned to public hearing on China spy case collapse

The Attorney General and Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister have been asked to give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry next Tuesday.

Politics

8 d. ago Biggest Prince Andrew bombshell claims as Virginia Giuffre's long

The family of Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre have released her memoir, written before she died by suicide in April, which highlights a series of bombshell allegations against the disgraced royal

Politics

9 d. ago QUENTIN LETTS: Speaker Hoyle was still right unchoofed about t'China spy case

What will become of the House of Lords if Nigel Farage 's Reform does well at the next general election?

Politics

9 d. ago Top lawyers rounding on chief prosecutor over China spy case collapse rebuked

A CPS source says legal experts are entitled to offer an opinion ‘based on published documents and media reports’.

Events

9 d. ago The Guardian view on the price of a prince: what Virginia Giuffre’s story says about palace accountability | Editorial

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal has exposed a constitutional blind spot: royal privilege remains beyond democratic scrutiny. MPs must be able to question powerThe tragic story of Virginia Giuffre raises the question of who governs when royal privilege and public outrage collide. As a vulnerable teenager she was drawn into a world of sexual exploitation by the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Ms Giuffre alleged that Epstein trafficked her and that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17. He has denied all the claims. Despite previously insisting he had no memory of meeting her, the prince reportedly paid £12m to settle her civil case in 2022. The money was said to have come from his mother, the late queen – who, just six weeks later, was photographed walking beside him at her husband’s memorial service.With a posthumous memoir, Ms Giuffre has brought the issue back into the spotlight. In his calamitous 2019 Newsnight interview,...

Politics

9 d. ago Tories told to ‘stop throwing mud’ over collapse of China spy case

Home Office minister Dan Jarvis said the Prime Minister and other ministers were powerless to stop the Crown Prosecution Service shelving the case.

Politics

9 d. ago Lindsay Hoyle hints at security crackdown in wake of China spy case

Commons Speaker has previously expressed his anger at the collapse of the case

Events

9 d. ago Ministers to respond to Commons urgent questions on China spy case and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ban – UK politics live

Home Office minister to respond to UQ from Chris Philp about the China spy case before question on Maccabi Tel Aviv fansThere will be two urgent questions in the Commons this afternoon, followed by a statement. Here is the running order.3.30pm: A Home Office minister will respond to a UQ from Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, about the China spy case.The family of Virginia Giuffre, whose life was destroyed, are angry and aghast. The public across these isles are angry and aghast and they both deserve to know that some MPs share their outrage.So I won’t sit silent. If an act of parliament is required to strip the likes of Peter Mandelson and Prince Andrew of their titles then there can be no justification from this Labour government as to why that is not immediately happening.Public funds, police protection and royal privilege have long buffered Prince Andrew from the consequences of his actions. And we’ve paid for all this.I will support any efforts to hold royals to the same ...

Politics