MPs have been warned an agent of the Chines government has been active in British Parliament.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was “deeply concerning” that an individual “who has knowingly engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party has targeted parliamentarians” but the UK has measures in place “to identify foreign interference”.

She said: “I know it will be deeply concerning to many that an individual who has knowingly engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party has targeted parliamentarians.

“This development has come as a result of the strong structures the United Kingdom has in place to identify foreign interference or any potential threats to our democracy.

“Where necessary, proportionate action is always taken to mitigate these threats, thanks to our world-leading intelligence and security agencies.

“Forthcoming measures to counter these kind of threats will build on the robust safeguards already in place, making our country even harder for states to conduct hostile activity in.”

The Speaker’s office has confirmed that a warning notice has been issued in relation to the activities of a suspected Chinese agent.

A spokeswoman for the Speaker’s office said: “The Speaker takes the security of Members and the democratic process very seriously, which is why he issued this notice in consultation with the security services. There is no further comment on this matter.”

MI5 share Security Service Interference Alert

The Security Service Interference Alert regarding Christine Ching Kui Lee issued by MI5 said: “The purpose of this Security Service Interference Alert (SSIA) is to draw attention to an individual knowingly engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).”

It said Lee has “acted covertly in co-ordination with the UFWD and is judged to be involved in political interference activities in the UK”.

MPs warned over Chinese agent

Raising a point of order in the Commons, Conservative former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he understood MI5 has contacted Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle about the matter.

He said: “They key issue here is I understand that Mr Speaker has been contacted by MI5 and is now warning members of Parliament that there has been an agent of the Chinese government active here in Parliament working with a Member of Parliament, obviously to subvert the processes here.

“I say, as a Member of Parliament who has been sanctioned by the Chinese government, that this is a matter of grave concern.”

Sir Iain added: “Will this now lead to a serious overhaul of the accreditation procedures here in the House of Commons because it’s clearly too slack that these people get in – either in APPGs (all-party parliamentary groups) or with individuals.

“Is it possible we’ll have a statement from the Speaker from the chair about the risks?”

Sir Iain said he has done much to help Hong Kong-Chinese people flee the communist regime, noting: “We have names and numbers of people, and that leaves me worrying that some of these have been accessed by such an individual.

“These will be their lives and families at risk and I am deeply concerned about this because my activities therefore may well have therefore been traced, as those as well from my colleagues and friends.

“I understand that the latest news I hear is that this individual is not to be deported and no further action to be taken.

“How can it be that an agent of a foreign despotic and despicable power that is hellbent on reducing many of those people into penury it seems, how can they put somebody into Parliament – this mother of Parliaments – and then that individual have nothing done to them other than they’re not allowed in Parliament.

“This is surely not good enough.”