Yang Tengbo live updates: Chinese ‘spy’ linked to Prince Andrew named as MP warns Yang ‘was not a lone wolf’

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Yang Tengbo’s case “does not exist, sadly, in a vacuum” and China was among the states that pose a “threat” to the UK.

At a press conference in London, Mr Lammy said: “On China, I welcome the court’s decision to uphold the Home Office’s position on Yang’s exclusion.

“And where individuals pose a threat, as you would expect, the UK Government is absolutely committed to using the full range of powers available to disrupt them.

“I raised these issues when I was in Beijing a few weeks ago.

“This case does not exist, sadly, in a vacuum. The UK is in the most complex threat environment that we’ve seen for a very significant time, including terrorism and states – including China, Iran and Russia – that pose a threat to us.

“Six individuals have been charged under our National Security Act to date. So we recognise the threat, we’ve raised it with the Chinese government, and we will act wherever we need to.”

A scheme designed to protect the UK from covert foreign influence will commence in summer 2025, according to the Government.

The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (Firs) was initially expected to come into force in 2024, but in August the new Labour Government confirmed a delay to its implementation.

Security minister Dan Jarvis said the Government now plans to lay the regulations in Parliament in the new year and they will take effect from the summer.

Firs is designed to combat clandestine political activity by foreign agents in the UK.

The scheme would require individuals to disclose who they are in an arrangement with, what activity they have been directed to undertake, and when the arrangement was made.

The enhanced tier gives ministers the power to require registration of a broader range of activities for specified countries, parts of countries or foreign government-controlled entities “where this is necessary to protect the safety of interests of the UK”, according to the Home Office.

It is understood Andrew will stay away from the King’s private Norfolk residence after the controversy surrounding alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who was banned from the UK and had forged links to the Duke of York.

It is not yet known whether the duke will attend Charles’s traditional pre-Christmas lunch for the extended family on Thursday, which is expected to be held at Buckingham Palace.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie had already planned to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws this year for the first time.

A spy watchdog has been urged at Westminster to investigate an alleged Chinese secret agent linked to the Duke of York and other espionage claims levelled at Beijing.

Speaking in Parliament, as peers approved nominations for the ISC, which oversees the work of the UK’s spy agencies, Labour former minister Lord Foulkes of Cumnock said: “I wonder if it would be appropriate at this time to ask if it would be possible for the Intelligence and Security Committee to conduct an investigation into H6 and all the allegations of spying from China?”

Responding, leader of the Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon, said: “I don’t think it’s for the Lord Privy Seal to instruct the Intelligence and Security Committee on their business or how they conduct it but I am sure they will have taken note of the reports and are fully aware of the situation and will do whatever is appropriate.”

Lee Anderson, the Reform MP for Ashfield, said: “Yang Tengbo is the alleged Chinese spy who has been stalking the corridors of power in our country and rubbing shoulders with royalty, prime ministers and business leaders. Yet his name has been withheld from the Great British public.

“Does the minister agree with me that it was only withheld to avoid embarrassment for previous Prime Ministers and business leaders and was not in the best interests of the British public?”

Dan Jarvis, the security minister, responded: “Well, I’m sure the honourable member will acknowledge that I named H6, the individual, that his reason for his original anonymity was as a result of a court order, and was not a decision by the UK Government.”

The prime minister has full confidence in the British courts, No 10 signalled, after an alleged Chinese spy said he was a victim of a political climate which had seen a rise in tensions between the UK and China.

Asked whether the Prime Minister believed the High Court had been influenced by political tensions when it lifted the anonymity order for Yang Tengbo, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “No”.

“We respect the independence of our courts and, as I say, the first duty of every Government is national security, and we welcome the court’s decision to uphold the Home Office’s position in relation to the exclusion of this individual.”

Asked whether he believed the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) was fair, the spokesman said: “Of course, and we obviously welcome the court’s decision to uphold the Home Office’s position in relation to the exclusion of this individual, as the minister has just said in the House.

“More broadly wherever there are individuals who pose a threat to our national security we will use the full range of powers available to disrupt them.”