Former FBI director James Comey pleads not guilty to criminal charges

Former FBI director James Comey has pleaded not guilty to lying to Congress in a case President Donald Trump demanded the Department of Justice seek, regardless of evidence, against his longtime foe.

Comey made his first appearance in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, Wednesday to face charges stemming from his testimony to the Senate judiciary committee in 2020, when he denied authorizing leaks to reporters.

“Thank you, your honor,” Comey said inside the courtroom after charges were read. “Thank you very much.”

A trial date is tentatively scheduled to begin 5 January 2026, but Comey’s attorneys are expected to try to have the case thrown out altogether, citing Trump’s “vindictive” prosecution and the president’s installation of his personal attorney to bring the case against him.

Comey’s attorneys are preparing a motion to disqualify Virginia U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan, and his defense counsel Patrick Fitzgerald said his legal team will also accuse the government of abusing the grand jury process and “outrageous” conduct.

To find him guilty of making false statements to Congress, a jury would have to agree that they believe he knowingly and wilfully deceived senators about an issue material to a question at the center of that 2020 Senate hearing.

The hearing focused on the FBI’s role in the Trump-Russia investigation, although the allegation that Comey made false statements to the committee involves a separate investigation into Hillary Clinton’s foundation in 2016.

Two months into Trump’s first term, Comey announced the FBI was investigating Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, and sought to determine if there were “any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government,” Comey testified at the time.

Comey is now accused of lying about whether he authorized someone at the FBI to be a source for The Wall Street Journal, which published a story about a probe into Trump’s former Democratic opponent that was published in October 2016, shortly before the presidential election, which Trump won.

In the hearing, Republican senator Ted Cruz asked Comey whether he had ever authorized “someone else at the FBI” to be an anonymous source, though Comey said that he stood by previous testimony in which he said that he had not authorized a leak.

The indictment alleges that his testimony was false, and that Comey had authorized another person — which the indictment does not identify — “to serve as an anonymous source in news reports” about the FBI’s investigation into Clinton.

In 2018, an inspector general report sided with Comey’s account after finding that, in 2016, then-deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe authorized FBI personnel to speak to The Wall Street Journal, and then “lacked candor” when Comey and other officials approached him about the source of the leak.

McCabe was fired from the FBI the following month, just days before his scheduled retirement.

Last month, McCabe told CNN that it’s “unbelievable” that law enforcement never reached out to him about the case.

“All I can say is what my own experience revealed, and that is, I didn’t ever see Jim Comey authorizing other people to leak information,” McCabe said.

Comey — whose firing by Trump during his first administration led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller — has long been a target of the president and his allies following his investigation to determine whether Trump’s associates coordinated with Russian figures to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.

“I’m not afraid, and I hope you’re not, either,” Comey said in a video message responding to his indictment last week. “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system.”

The Russia investigation consumed the president’s first term and cast a shadow over his 2024 campaign and current administration, fueling a campaign of retribution he promised against his perceived political enemies. The case against Comey marks the most significant prosecution of Trump’s alleged adversaries yet, after the president explicitly directed his Justice Department to investigate Comey and others.

Trump, his attorney general Pam Bondi and her radically reshaped Justice Department — now filled with loyalists and attorneys to dominate agencies that the president claims have been weaponized against him — are also targeting prominent Democratic officials, progressive fundraising groups and an array of ideological opponents the administration alleges are tied to acts of terrorism.

Comey, a registered Republican who had worked for the Justice Department since the 1980s, is the first former senior government official facing criminal charges under Trump’s retribution campaign, which the president celebrated on his Truth Social by labeling him “one of the worst human beings this country has ever been exposed to”.

Prosecutors investigating his appearance before the Senate judiciary committee in 2020 have repeatedly rejected bringing criminal charges against him, citing insufficient evidence that he gave false testimony.

According to an internal memo in which career prosecutors explained why they would not seek an indictment, prosecutors determined that a central witness — Comey’s longtime friend Daniel Richmond, a law professor at Columbia University — would prove “problematic” and likely prevent them from establishing a case, according to ABC News.

Richmond’s testimony would result in “likely insurmountable problems” for the prosecution, the memo stated.

But Comey was ultimately charged after Trump successfully pressured the acting head of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia to resign.

He then tapped yet another one of his former personal attorneys to the role, despite her lack of prosecutorial experience.

In a highly unusual move, Lindsey Halligan presented the case to a grand jury herself, and the grand jury voted to indict him last month.

Halligan initially sought three charges against Comey, but 12 or more jurors did not find probable cause to indict him. If convicted on the two remaining charges, he faces up to five years in prison.

John Bowden contributed reporting from Alexandria

King to launch new documentary on lifelong sustainability work

King Charles is set to star in a new documentary about his lifelong battle to “bring nature and humanity into harmony”.

The film, to be released on Prime Video, will see Charles warn it has never been more important to “protect and prioritise” the planet.

With a working title Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, the documentary will launch in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in early 2026.

It features the King’s own reflections on his lifelong commitment to promoting a sustainable world, as he views special archive footage from across the decades.

Upon the announcement of the film, the King said he hopes the film will inspire others to protect the planet as he said he had spent most of life encouraging people to “work with, rather than against, nature”.

“Nature is our sustainer – we are a part of Nature. Therefore, what we do to her, we do to ourselves,” Charles said.

“For much of my life I have sought to promote and encourage ways we can work with, rather than against Nature. In other words, to restore balance to our planet which is under such stress.”

The documentary will explore the origins, evolution and scientific foundations of the King’s “Harmony” philosophy, which he set out in his 2010 book Harmony: A New Way of Looking At Our World.

It will show how The King’s Foundation, which has its headquarters in Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, has embraced this approach through projects focusing on community regeneration, sustainable textiles and traditional skills.

Charles said: “This film will, I hope, demonstrate just some of the remarkable work being done around the world to put Harmony into practice, from the forests of Guyana to sustainable communities in India – and, closer to home, through the work of my King’s Foundation at Dumfries House and Highgrove.

“Never has it been more important for the world to make a concerted effort to protect and prioritise our planet, and to restore our relationship with it.”

The King added: “It is therefore my fondest hope that this film may encourage a new audience to learn about the philosophy of Harmony – and perhaps inspire the same sense of determination it has given me to help build a more sustainable future.”

A new photograph of the King was released to mark the official announcement.

It showed Charles, in a light suit and colourful pink patterned tie, resting his hands on his shepherd’s crook walking stick, while surrounded by summer greenery in the arboretum at Highgrove Gardens, Gloucestershire, during filming.

The documentary’s director Nicolas Brown said the story was one of “hope and resilience”.

“Remarkably few people around the world know the full depth of the King’s lifelong battle to bring nature and humanity into harmony,” Brown said.

“Even today, His Majesty’s work with The King’s Foundation is transforming the world in so many inspiring ways.

“This is a story of hope and resilience. People who watch this film will leave feeling uplifted and motivated.

“The King’s philosophy offers something for everyone. Mostly, he shows us the power of resilience – and how following your intuition can transform the world.”

Courtenay Valenti, head of film for Amazon MGM Studios, said: “We believe this collaboration, championed by Amazon MGM

Studios head of documentary features Brianna Oh, will not only showcase the King’s remarkable vision but also inspire viewers across the globe to consider their own relationship with the natural world.”

Kristina Murrin, chief executive of The King’s Foundation, said it was both “moving and inspiring” to see the King’s Harmony journey committed to film.

Starmer considers police crackdown on chants at pro-Palestine protests

Keir Starmer has called for a police crackdown on some of the chants heard at pro-Palestine protests.

His comment came just hours after students defied his calls and took part in pro-Gaza marches on university campuses across the UK on the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel.

Among the chants heard at the protests was: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, which some consider to be antisemitic as they believe it calls for the eradication of Israel.

Proponents of the chant claim they are calling for an end to conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.

The anniversary came less than a week after knife-wielding terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, killed two men at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester.

The prime minister had described the protests as “un-British” and claimed they showed a lack of respect, and warned that pro-Palestine protests have been used by some as a “despicable excuse to attack British Jews”.

But free speech campaigners have hit back, saying any further crackdown would impinge on their rights.

The prime minister told journalists travelling with him to India that when it comes to making the Jewish community feel safe, just days after the terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester during which two people were killed, “I do think there are actions that we need to take and that is what we will do.”

He pointed to an announcement by the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood over the weekend that police would in future be able to assess the “cumulative” impact of such protests.

But, he said: “I think we need to review more broadly public order powers – and there will be a series of actions that we will agree in due course across Whitehall.”

“I’ve asked the home secretary to look more broadly at what other powers are available, how they’re being used, and whether they should be changed in any way.”

He added: “I think we need to go further than that in relation to some of the chants that are going on at some of these protests.”

Pressed on what he meant by that, he said: “Obviously operational matters are very much a matter for the police. So there’s only so much the government can do.

“But I do think we need to have a conversation with various police forces about the way in which these are being policed and what measures can be taken.

“That has to be part of the review that we carry out into what powers do we have and how they’re being exercised? And then the question of ‘do any of these powers therefore need to be changed or enhanced’? And that’s the exercise we’re going through. But we are talking at length to leaders of the Jewish community about this, as you would expect.”

Sam Grant, director of external relations at rights group Liberty, said recent moves to crack down on protests “have severely weakened people’s rights, caused mass confusion, and led to some spending many years in prison for non-violent demonstrations.”

He added: “If the government is serious about reviewing protest laws, it must actually engage with groups and people most impacted by the policing of protests and build policy based on their experiences.”

Tom Southerden, Amnesty International UK’s legal programme director, said “we will be scrutinising any new proposals to restrict protest speech very closely”, adding: “Genuine incitement to violence or hatred can and should be restricted under international human rights law, but the UK already has an extensive legal framework that already addresses this.

“Any further restrictions must be clearly defined, evidence-based and strictly necessary, not politically motivated or open to broad interpretation”.

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: “The British government is spending more time considering how to restrict protests against genocide than stopping its own complicity. We will resist their attempts to restrict our fundamental democratic rights – on Saturday, we march in London once again”.

A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries, which has organised silent protests in support of proscribed group Palestine Action, said that Sir Keir’s pledge “shows what we’ve warned about all along: that proscribing Palestine Action would pave the way for further authoritarian crackdowns on our rights to free speech in this country”.

On Sunday, Ms Mahmood said repeated large-scale protests had caused “considerable fear” for the Jewish community.

The previous day, officers arrested hundreds of people at a Palestine Action protest in London, just days after the Manchester synagogue attack.

Met Police said 492 people were arrested at the protest in support of the proscribed group, which was controversially classed by the UK government as a terrorist organisation earlier this year.

Most of the arrests were made at Trafalgar Square, where around 1,000 protesters sat silently, some holding signs backing Palestine Action, despite calls from Sir Keir and police chiefs to stay away following the terror attack in Manchester.

At the time, Paula Dodds, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said officers were “physically exhausted” but continue to be called on “to facilitate these relentless protests. And we are coming under attack for doing so. How can this be right?” she asked.

But Amnesty International said it should not be the job of the police to arrest people “peacefully sitting down”, and that the arrests amounted to a breach of the UK’s human rights obligations.

Dolly Parton says ‘I ain’t dead yet’ after sister sparks frantic health concerns

Dolly Parton has a simple message for fans worried about her health: “I ain’t dead yet.”

The 79-year-old country icon shared a video statement on Instagram Wednesday after her sister, Freida Parton, sparked concerns about her health.

On Tuesday, Freida, 68, asked for prayers for Parton, who said last month she’s been dealing with “some health challenges”.

Parton said in her video Wednesday: “I wanted to say I know lately everybody thinks I am sicker than I am — do I look sick to you?

“I appreciate your prayers because I’m a person of faith. I want you to know that I’m okay. I’ve got some problems as I’ve mentioned.”

She continued: “Back when my husband, Carl, was very sick, that was for a long time. When he passed, I didn’t take care of myself. So I let a lot of things go that I should’ve been taking care of. So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said we need to take care of this, we need to take care of that. Nothing major but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home and closer to Vanderbilt [University Medical Center], you know, where I’m kind of having a few treatments here and there.”

Parton went on to joke about an AI image of her circulating that showed her on her “deathbed” with Reba McEntire beside her.

“We both looked like we need to be buried,” she quipped.

“There’s just a lot of rumors flying around, but I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was okay,” Parton said, concluding: “I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done working. So I love you for caring, and keep praying for me.”

“I ain’t dead yet,” she added in the caption.

Earlier Wednesday, Parton’s other sister, Stella, 76, gave further insight into the “9 to 5” singer’s wellbeing, saying that she had “kidney stones and is getting treatment”.

Hours after Freida’s initial Facebook post, in which she asked fans to pray for Parton, she later clarified that she didn’t mean to scare anyone or give a grave impression with her message.

Freida said that, while Dolly had been “a little under the weather”, she “simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer”.

“It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister,” she wrote on Facebook.

Last month, Parton was forced to postpone her Las Vegas residency in order to undergo a series of medical procedures.

“As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!” she said on Instagram.

“In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see. You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you.”

Her Vegas residency, which was scheduled to run last month, will now go ahead from September 17 to September 26, 2026.

Earlier this year, Parton lost her longtime husband, Carl Dean, who died at the age of 82.

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy,” Parton said at the time.

Manchester synagogue attacker called 999 to pledge allegiance to Islamic State

The Manchester synagogue terrorist called 999 and pledged allegiance to Islamic State after he launched the attack.

Counter Terrorism Policing North West has confirmed that knifeman Jihad al-Shamie, 35, called police in the initial stages of the attack last Thursday.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, were both killed and several others were injured during the attack, which took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

A spokesperson for Counter Terrorism Policing North West said: “We can confirm that, in the initial stages of the attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, a call was made by the attacker to police claiming to pledge allegiance to the so-called Islamic State.

“We are continuing to investigate the full circumstances and motivation behind what happened. The investigation is continuing at pace.”

Reports in The Sun say he told 999 operators: “I have killed two Jews in the name of the Islamic State.”

Shamie, who was on bail for an alleged rape offence, was shot dead by police minutes after he launched the attack, which was declared a terror attack by authorities.

Police are still working to establish the full details of the motivations of the 35-year-old attacker, who was a British national of Syrian heritage and was granted citizenship in 2006 as a minor.

Investigators do not believe he had ever been referred to Prevent, Britain’s counterterrorism programme, but did have a criminal history and police say he may have been influenced by an extreme Islamist mindset.

In a statement, his family condemned the attack, describing it as a “heinous act”.

It later emerged that two victims of the attack were shot by armed police as they sheltered inside the barricaded door of the synagogue.

Adrian Daulby, 53, died after he sustained a bullet wound, while another person was injured by a stray bullet.

Sir Stephen Watson, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, said the victims’ bullet wounds “may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end”.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, has launched an investigation into the fatal shooting by armed officers.

The police chief said he welcomed that the police watchdog had found that “no misconduct is apparent” in the force’s response to the Manchester synagogue attack.

It comes after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the three armed officers who fired their weapons while responding to the attack outside Heaton Park Synagogue in Crumpsall are being treated as “witnesses to the investigation”.

Four people arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts remain in custody after police were granted a further five days to question them on Saturday.

There are two men, aged 30 and 32, and a woman, 61, all arrested in Prestwich, and a 46-year-old woman arrested in Farnworth.

An 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man who were arrested in Farnworth, were released with no further action on Saturday.

Police said they have further releases planned for today, but have not concluded the investigation.

Norwegian nature: Enjoy wild, wonderful adventures on a safari-at-sea

Norway’s rugged coast is chock-full of natural beauty, dotted with steep fjords where the mountains meet the sea and teeming with all kinds of curious wildlife, from orcas, humpbacks, and over 80 species of seabirds to red foxes, reindeer, and otters. Norwegians are famous for their deep love of the outdoors, which even has its own word: friluftsliv. It helps that it is home to more than 150,000 lakes and is known for its dramatic fjord-fringed landscapes and shimmering glaciers. It’s also one of the best places to catch the technicolour magic of the Aurora Borealis.

What’s more, if you explore this breathtaking region on a Hurtigruten cruise, you’ll do so alongside the expert local Expedition Team, who have spent years traversing Norway’s rugged coastline. They are always on hand to provide engaging insights into the nature, wildlife, and culture you’ll encounter on every voyage. They go above and beyond to ensure you experience more than just the tourist hot spots. Each team member has their own area of expertise and hosts regular lectures for those who want to delve deeper into a specific interest. They also encourage you to join them on their hand-picked hikes and activities, which are at an additional cost and subject to availability but offer the chance to explore with those who know the area best.

Drawing on over 130 years of travel experience, Original and Signature Hurtigruten Voyages lead passengers along Norway’s dramatic Arctic coastline, showcasing its remarkable natural beauty in all its glory, with options to stop off in various locations along the way. As you sail between destinations, keep your eyes peeled for the abundance of wildlife that frequents the area. The coastline is a popular haunt for mammals like giant humpbacks, frolicking seals and playful porpoises.

During time spent on land, depending on your route, you might also come face-to-face with reindeer in the north or the elusive lynx, not to mention the flora that decorates the landscape in various seasons. Some routes stop at Mehamn, a traditional fishing town with only 800 inhabitants. From here, you can embark on an excursion to learn about the Sámi, an indigenous people from Europe’s northernmost region, known for reindeer herding, traditional handicrafts, and a deep connection to nature. Get to know the family, hear their stories and joik chanting, and try dried reindeer meat around a fire in a lavvo tent.

There are many different journeys you can take, depending on what you want to get out of your cruise. Trace the historic Coastal Express route on one of their Original Voyages, Hurtigruten’s first and most iconic route, established in 1893 and often hailed as the world’s most beautiful voyage. You’ll cover 2,500 nautical miles and visit 34 ports, starting in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, where you can hop on a funicular to the summit of Mount Fløyen and soak up the incredible views of the city, the nearby fjords, and the surrounding mountains.

The North Cape Line Winter route is another popular cruise for nature lovers. This Signature Voyage adventure starts and finishes in Norway’s Capital, Oslo. The Signature Voyages take things up a notch, offering unmatched views of Norway’s best bits with more time to explore each stop. They’re also a hit with foodies, thanks to the all-inclusive option featuring award-winning restaurants and seasonal produce from Norway’s bountiful coastline.

Åndalsnes is also a favourite stop on the route, home to soaring mountains overlooking the surrounding town. It’s the ultimate hotspot for hikers, climbers and skiers thanks to its abundant accessible natural beauty. The Troll Wall is a highlight for adrenaline seekers here; this 1,000-metre vertical cliff in the Romsdalen valley boasts some of the most epic views from atop, including 360-degree vistas of Romsdalshorn, Åndalsnes town centre, and the Rauma River.

This route also takes you to The City of Northern Lights, Alta, where you can stand at the northernmost point in Europe, Cape Point in Honningsvåg – the perfect vantage point for those trying to catch this incredible natural phenomenon. Hurtigruten is so confident you’ll see the lights that they even offer a ‘Northern Lights Promise’: a free cruise if you don’t see them during the season (valid on 11-day plus voyages from 20th September to 31st March).

Many of the routes stop at Lofoten, an archipelago with immense peaks and fishing villages sandwiched between slopes. It’s not hard to see why this chain of islands is referred to as one of Norway’s most beautiful locations. Hiking opportunities abound here, and most trails lead to spectacular vistas, or if you prefer to stay on the water, you can hop in a kayak and enjoy a leisurely paddle.

Lofoten isn’t the only archipelago you’ll see on specific routes — keep an eye out for the Vega archipelago, a collection of around 6,500 islands, skerries, and islets. On Gardsøy Island, you’ll find a UNESCO World Heritage Centre with dedicated huts for local eider ducks to build their nests.

Journeying south along Norway’s west coast, many of the routes also take you past some of the country’s most famous fjords, including Hardangerfjord, measuring a whopping 179 kilometres in length, making it the second longest fjord in the country and fifth longest in the world. Get your cameras ready, as you’ll be treated to panoramic mountain vistas from every direction, with snow-capped peaks peeking over the fjord reflected on mirror-like water.

Hurtigruten cruises stop at Torsken on the southbound leg of the Svalbard Line, one of their premium, all-inclusive Signature Voyages that sails from Bergen to the Arctic archipelago and back. The secluded fishing village of Torsken is perfect for outdoors enthusiasts, tucked away in Torskenfjorden on the rugged west coast of Senja Island. It’s home to just a handful of houses, workshops, and small piers sprinkled with fishing boats and is the ideal base for exploring Norway’s second-largest island, Senja.

Senja’s stunning coastline has been rightly nicknamed the ‘Caribbean of the North’ thanks to its white-sand beaches and towering mountain peaks. It’s best to take an excursion and explore by small boat to spot white-tailed eagles, seals, seabirds like cormorants, and maybe even a golden eagle. Whether exploring Senja or simply soaking up sea views from onboard, a Hurtigruten cruise offers a chance to connect with nature, wildlife, and Norway’s stunning landscapes, with countless routes to choose from.

Book your Norwegian adventure for less, with up to 30% off, plus 10% off excursions on selected Coastal Express and North Cape Line voyages. For offers, routes and excursion info, visit Hurtigruten.

Britain has failed its China test – weakness does not work with Xi

Is China an enemy? To judge by the level of competence displayed in the Westminster espionage case, nobody is qualified to say.

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the previous Tory government is to blame for the collapse of a high-profile case against two men accused of spying for China. That case, against Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher who worked closely with MPs, and Christopher Berry – who were both accused of passing secrets to Beijing and both denied the charges – was dropped last month.

Director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said the Crown Prosecution Service had tried “over many months” to get the evidence it needed from the government, referring to China as a national security threat to carry out the prosecution, but it had not been forthcoming from the Labour government.

It begs the question: where will Britain draw the line? Last month, the chief of MI6, Sir Richard Moore, called China an enduring challenge, ranking it with Russia and Iran. He blamed Beijing for helping Vladimir Putin wage war against Ukraine.

“It is the support that China has consistently given to Russia, both diplomatically and also in terms of “dual use goods” – the “Made in China” chemicals that end up in their shells; the electronic components that end up in their missiles – that have prevented Putin from reaching the conclusion that peace is his best option,” he said in a rare public speech.

Nonetheless, we also know that President Xi Jinping called Putin to warn him against using a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine, according to a book by the US journalist Bob Woodward, a claim that has not been denied. Moore acknowledged that China “straddles that dichotomy of opportunity and threat” as a major power with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The head of MI5, Ken McCallum, is even more measured. “China is different,” he declared last year. “The UK-China economic relationship supports UK growth, which underpins our security.”

What a change in tone from 2022 when McCallum took the stage with the then head of the FBI, Chris Wray, to sound the alarm about “Chinese Communist Party aggression”. McCallum listed covert theft, technology transfer from British companies, exploiting academic research and collecting information across the spectrum of society.

He revealed that 50 students linked to the Chinese military left Britain after the government tightened up. He disclosed that MI5 “issued a UK espionage alert on an individual working in think tanks and academia who was in regular contact with Chinese intelligence officers”.

In cyber war, he said, “a wide range of government and commercial targets were attacked by the three so-called ‘Advanced Persistent Threat’ groups which the UK government has attributed to China’s Ministry of State Security”. The head of GCHQ, Anne Keast-Butler, repeated last year that “the Chinese state” was a cyber threat.

So what has changed? Starmer’s government faces inflation, a hard budget, rising debt, higher defence spending and toxic politics, all worsened by three years of fighting on the Ukrainian front, a chaotic presidency in the United States, and the risk of wider wars in the Middle East and Asia.

Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, has emerged as the influencer for engagement with China to protect British interests, offset its Russian alliance, and persuade Xi not to turn his axis of autocrats into a joint attack on the world order.

In my view, the new language from the spies is a sign of a softer line because the stakes are so high. Hence, the dithering over China’s vast new London “mega-embassy”, the laughable refusal to publish in full a China policy audit, which is assuredly in the hands of Beijing, and now a legal fiasco that can, thankfully, be blamed in part on the last government.

There is a precedent in British diplomacy between 1939 and 1941 when the Foreign Office shamelessly pandered to Italy and Japan in the vain but not dishonourable hope of keeping them out of the Second World War.

Critics say it adds up to an inglorious strategy of avoidance; diplomats ask, “What would you do instead?” An expert in talking to adversaries, Powell – who will appear before parliament for the first time amid questions about his role in the collapse of the trial – has dealt with Chinese officials behind closed doors before.

But anyone who dreams that “friendly” contacts with China make them a privileged interlocutor should pause to heed the official advice of MI5 cited by McCallum in his 2022 speech: “The motive behind Chinese intelligence service cultivation of Westerners is primarily to make “friends”: once a “friendship” is formed [they] will use the relationship to obtain information which is not legally or commercially available to China and to promote China’s interest.”

“Cultivation of a contact of interest is likely to develop slowly: [they] are very patient. … The aim of these tactics is to create a debt of obligation on the part of the target, who will eventually find it difficult to refuse inevitable requests for favours in return.”

Weakness does not work with Xi Jinping; he is a ruler who respects strength. Untroubled at home by legal niceties, he will use any means, as a trained communist, to advance the cause. The task for democracies is to use the laws at their disposal with tough counterespionage and political determination. So far, Britain has not met that test.

Michael Sheridan, a longtime foreign correspondent and diplomatic editor of The Independent, is author of ‘The Red Emperor: Xi Jinping and his New China’, out now in paperback from Headline Press at £12.99

Britain should embrace voluntary ID cards, Starmer suggests

Britain should embrace voluntary ID cards, Sir Keir Starmer has said, just weeks after announcing that digital identification will become compulsory to work in the UK.

The prime minister said that while mandatory digital IDs “are very important” for employment, Britain could gain a “significant advantage” by adopting the cards for wider use.

His comments came on a plane to India for a two-day trade visit to Mumbai, where he will hold meetings on how the South Asian nation uses digital ID.

Opinion polls suggest support for the cards plummeted after the PM announced they would become mandatory to work in the UK by 2029, his flagship statement on the eve of the Labour conference last month.

But the prime minister batted away suggestions he had killed off public support for the scheme, saying the IDs were important to meet his party’s manifesto pledge to tackle illegal migration.

“We need to address the fact that too many people can come to this country and work illegally,” he said.

“And that’s why ID mandatory for working is really important. I think there is a case to be made about the benefits for voluntary ID into other areas, and obviously we need to make that case.

“I think it’s a really important discussion for us to have. So on the one hand, it’s mandatory for work, but I actually think it would be a good passport.

“I don’t know how many times the rest of you have had to look in the bottom drawer for three bills when you want to get your kids into school or apply for this or apply for that, [it] drives me to frustration. I do think that we could gain a significant advantage.”

He added: “We’re going to a country, India, where they’ve already done ID and made a massive success of it.”

On the day the prime minister officially announced ID cards, one of his closest political allies suggested they could be extended to become the “bedrock of the modern state”.

Darren Jones, the new chief secretary to the prime minister, said in the future they could be used for “really quite exciting public service reform”.

In response, David Frost, a Tory peer and former cabinet minister, said Mr Jones’s remarks were “why so many of us are worried by digital ID”, and a petition against digital ID hit more than 1 million signatures.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy insisted on Friday that the plan to introduce digital ID did not mean everyone would have to carry it with them and that it would be “entirely their choice” whether people use it.

The ID card plan, which would require an act of parliament to implement, follows mounting pressure on ministers to take more drastic action to tackle migration as small boat crossings reached record highs this summer and as the asylum applications backlog remains above 75,000 – pressure exacerbated by the success of Reform UK in the polls.

At the same time, Sir Keir faces intense pressure over public services and rising welfare costs, after his own MPs blocked his plan earlier this year to slash £5bn from the social security budget.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has dismissed the ID plans as a “gimmick that will do nothing to stop the boats”.

The Liberal Democrats have said they would fight “tooth and nail” against the “nonsensical” plan, while Amnesty International said the move was a “dangerous overreaction by the government that puts the rights of all people in the UK at risk”.