Husband of East Kilbride and Strathaven MP arrested on suspicion of spying for China
David Taylor was arrested on Wednesday in London
The husband of a Scottish Labour MP has been arrested along with two other men by counter terror police on suspicion of spying for China.
Joani Reid is a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee and MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven.
Her spouse David Taylor, 39, was taken into custody in London and had his property in Reid’s East Kilbride constituency searched.
Taylor is a lobbyist and the director of PR, communications and consultancy firm Earthcott Limited.
"I have never been to China"
In a statement, Reid said: “I have never been to China. I have never spoken on China or China-related matters in the Commons. I have never asked a question on China-related matters.
“As far as I am aware, I have never met any Chinese businesses whilst I have been an MP, any Chinese diplomats or government employees, nor raised any concern with ministers or anyone else on behalf of, even coincidentally, Chinese interests.
"I am a social democrat who believes in freedom of expression, free trade unions and free elections.
"I am not any sort of admirer or apologist for the Chinese Communist Party's dictatorship.”
Security minister Dan Jarvis said there will be “sever consequences” if China is found to have attempted interfering with UK sovereign affairs.
"I have never met any Chinese businesses"
He told MPs: "The Government is taking robust action to ensure the UK's democratic institutions and processes are a hard target for this activity.”
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, confirmed Taylor did not possess a pass to access the parliamentary estate.
The Met police force has also searched properties in London and Cardiff.
The force said, as well as Taylor, a 43-year-old man was arrested in Pontyclun in south Wales, and a 68-year-old was arrested in county Powys in mid-Wales.