Kemi: It all stinks of a China cover-up by PM

Tory leader hits out at Starmer for 'simply unbelievable' collapse of spy trial

- By Michael Knowles and Christian Calgie

Blast... Tory leader Kemi Badenoch hit out at the Prime Minister

KEMI Badenoch said the China spy scandal "stinks of a coverup" as she branded Keir Starmer too weak to stand up to Beijing.

The Tory leader accused the PM of a "shameful dereliction of duty" as fresh revelations rocked Downing Street yesterday.

Sir Keir's official spokesman revealed for the first time that the Prime Minister knew for two days that the case was on the brink of collapse before this was announced by the Crown Prosecution Service.

And on a day of high drama, Sir Keir vowed in the Commons to publish the Government's witness statements after accusations of a cover-up. But the move backfired, sparking a huge political row.

Mrs Badenoch declared, while referencing Lord Mandelson's friendship with US paedophile Jeffrey Epstein: "Why should we believe a man who, at the last Prime Minister's Questions, said he had full confidence in the best friend of a convicted paedophile? Forgive us if we don't trust a word he says, this all stinks of a cover-up. He can't tell us why his Government did not provide evidence that China was a threat.