The accused, Mr. Cash and Mr. Berry, deny any wrongdoing, and due to the lack of evidence, it is unlikely they will face trial.

Sir Keir Starmer declined to assign blame for the case's failure, suggesting he was not making a definitive judgment on the government's role in the prosecution's difficulties.

Meanwhile, critics and opposition figures continue to emphasize that China remains a significant security threat, with calls for the government to take more assertive actions, such as including China on the foreign influence registration scheme.

The broader consensus among critics is that China poses ongoing security challenges, and there is a push for increased scrutiny and stronger measures to address these concerns.

Sir Keir Starmer faces mounting criticism over the collapse of a high-profile case involving alleged Chinese spies, which failed due to the government's lack of crucial evidence.

The case's failure has been linked to the previous government's stance on China, as the country's chief prosecutor indicated that the legal proceedings were hampered by the absence of a formal security threat designation at the time of the alleged offences.

Legal experts have questioned the explanation from the Crown Prosecution Service, suggesting that the evidence or understanding of what constitutes a threat may have been insufficient or misunderstood.

The Prime Minister defended the previous administration's position, emphasizing that the legal constraints were based on the policy stance in place during the alleged offences.

The government maintains that their legal approach was aligned with the policy standards set by the previous government, and the current administration adhered to those standards.

Debates have arisen over the legal implications, with the Prime Minister noting that the relevant security designation was not in place in 2023 when the offences occurred, making retroactive prosecution impossible.

Questions have been raised about transparency, as the government has not disclosed who made the decision to withhold evidence, fueling concerns about potential misconduct.