Christine Ching Kui Lee, the British-Chinese lawyer, who is accused of allegedly being a Chinese agent and of influencing British parliamentarians on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party by spy agency MI5 is a known figure in UK’s political circles.
The allegations against Lee surfaced this week after the MI5 issued a Security Service Interference Alert (SSIA) – a rare warning – that Lee ‘acted covertly’ to interfere in UK’s politics with the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It said that Lee did so using her Birmingham-based law firm Christine Lee & Co, whose website also states that Lee is also legal advisor to the Chinese embassy.
“We judge that the UFWD is seeking to covertly interfere in UK politics through establishing links with established and aspiring parliamentarians across the political spectrum,” the MI5 alert said. The message was also later conveyed to parliamentarians by House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle in a covering letter, accessed by news agency the Independent.
Soon after the allegations surfaced, Labour MP Barry Gardiner was the first politician who came to the spotlight. The 7-time MP from Brent North – who is also recipient of the Indian civilian award Padma Shri in 2020 – received £500,000 from Lee’s Birmingham-based law firm Christine Lee & Co, between 2015 and 2020.
Gardiner also employed Lee’s son, Daniel Wilkes, as his diary secretary but he also quit earlier on Thursday after allegations emerged, according to a report by news agency the Independent.
Lee also contributed to the Labour Party in 2016, the party said. It outlined that it received £5,000 from Lee’s firm in 2016. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey was also a recipient of donations from Lee earlier in 2013. Davey received the donation when he was serving as the energy secretary in the coalition government.
Lee, who frequented the corridors of Westminster, was also seen along with Conservative Party politicians as well. Then prime minister of UK Theresa May lauded Christine’s work in increasing ‘inclusion and participation of British-Chinese people’ in the nation’s political system, according to the Guardian.
“You should feel very proud of the difference that ‘The British Chinese Project’ is making in promoting engagement, understanding, and co-operation between the Chinese and British communities in the UK. I also wish you well with your work to further the inclusion and participation of British-Chinese people in the UK political system,” May said in her letter to Lee.
Later, Lee was also awarded the Points of Lights. She was also pictured alongside former PM David Cameron. Lee was also seen alongside former London mayor Ken Livingstone and former Labour deputy Tom Watson.
The lawyer’s pictures with British MPs and former PMs have concerned the UK but it is her picture with Chinese president Xi Jinping which has increased those concerns. According to a report by the Guardian, Lee was also among the representatives of the Chinese community overseas at the celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Gardiner, after the allegations were reported, told British media outlets that he was cautious about Lee since she ‘acted for a number of Chinese businesses in the UK over a very long period of time’. He told UK news agency Sky News that he informed the security agencies ‘for a number of years’ regarding his relationship with her.
“I feel deeply distressed that they should have targeted me in that way, as indeed they targeted many other people,” Gardiner said and also pointed out that the donations never benefited him personally and were used for his constituency.
The UK home minister Priti Patel told the Independent that the UK is a favorable region for China for attempting such infiltrations and many such threats will emerge in future as well. She, however, said that she does not know the background of the Points of Light Award given to Lee by Conservative former PM Theresa May.
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