Spooks and ministers to probe China spy Christine Lee’s activities across Parliament

SPOOKS and ministers are to probe the scope of China spy Christine Lee’s activities across Parliament.

Officials will also be hunting other agents amid fears Westminster is riddled with foreign influencers after MI5 warned MPs to avoid Lee.

It comes as Beijing accused Britain of being “too obsessed with James Bond”.

Lee was outed as a Chinese Communist Party operative on Thursday. She has donated thousands to Labour, MP Barry Gardiner getting over £500,000 for staffing costs.

She received an award from Theresa May when May was Prime Minister and was a VIP guest when then—PM David Cameron hosted China’s President Xi Jinping in 2016.

Downing Street said Boris Johnson had never met her.

Security Minister Damian Hinds said yesterday that the security services had known “for some time” of Lee’s activities, such as funnelling cash to MPs to try to secure influence. 

He said: “We’re learning all the time. All the implications, of course, have to be able to be taken into account.” 

Updates on other possible operatives are expected after Home Secretary Priti Patel speaks to MPs on Monday.

The Chinese Embassy in London denied claims of political interference. A spokesman said: “We have no need and never seek to ‘buy influence’ in any foreign parliament.”