Achi news desk-
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In a ministerial statement this afternoon, deputy PM Oliver Dowden will address one of the defining issues of our time: how to deal with an increasingly hostile China, which the government is about to accuse of masterminding cyber attacks against British citizens and politicians. More here.
Taking to the inbox at around 3.30pm, Dowden is expected to introduce new sanctions on individuals who ministers believe were involved in a hack of the Electoral Commission in 2021. The commission holds the data of 40 million British citizens.
But the choreography doesn’t stop there. Separately, a small group of MPs and a peer – all of whom are hawkish on China – will be privately briefed about specific cyber threats to them from the Asian superpower.
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Then, foreign secretary Lord Cameron will address the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers at 5 pm. The Liberal Democrats have raised concerns that Cameron’s private brief does not extend to representatives of other parties. MPs, of course, have limited contact with the noble secretary of state – a point of perennial contention.
The China question also happens to be one of the most fundamental divisions of the Conservatives. And behold, today’s events are naturally linked to a wider war of words within the party over the government’s stance on the Asian superpower.
Former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke, for one, has called on ministers to “end our naivety” on China, saying every time there is talk of a “reset” in relations there is “fresh evidence of malign activity”. . Meanwhile, former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the de facto head of the Tory hawks, has branded the government “very weak” on cyber threats from Beijing. More here. (Duncan Smith was one of the parliamentarians reportedly targeted by Chinese state hackers).
Unfortunately for Clarke and Duncan Smith, it is likely that a later address from Lord Cameron will do little to ease their concerns. The foreign secretary has been accused of being too soft on Beijing – as prime minister and former prime minister for hire. Cameron was memorably photographed drinking pints of beer with President Xi Jinping during a visit to Britain in 2015 – a poignant depiction of what has since become known as the “golden era” of relations between the two countries.
Speaking this morning, Rishi Sunak reiterated the government’s stance that China presents an “era-defining challenge”. This wording, first drawn up as part of the government’s 2023 Integrated Review Renewal, does not go far enough for many Conservative MPs.
So expect a host of hawkish Tories to challenge that line this afternoon as Dowden delivers his statement — I expect Liz Truss to be among them. The former prime minister has long called for the government to step up its characterization of China as a “threat”.
Truss instigated the Renewal Integrated Review as Prime Minister with the intention of rebranding Beijing along these lines – and since then pressing the government to follow through has become one of his favorite post-secondary crusades. That will bring down the “deep state”, of course.
Have a great rest of your day.
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