The United Kingdom’s domestic intelligence service has alleged that a woman suspected of working on behalf of China’s governing Communist Party has sought to improperly influence members of the UK’s Parliament, according to officials.
House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle’s office said in a note issued to members of Parliament on Thursday that MI5 had found that the woman “has been engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party”.
Hoyle’s letter added the Chinese national, whose whereabouts were unknown, had engaged with legislators and “facilitated financial donations to serving and aspiring Parliamentarians on behalf of foreign nationals based in Hong Kong and China”.
There was no immediate comment by the Chinese government.