Overview
- Foreign Office sources confirm Seema Malhotra met David Taylor with other Asia House representatives in her Whitehall office before his arrest, and say security sweeps were requested and that they were not alone.
- Counterterrorism police arrested Taylor and two others under the National Security Act, then released them on bail after searches in London, East Kilbride and Cardiff, with journalists’ homes searched without arrests.
- Taylor serves as director of policy and programmes at Asia House, which has hosted senior politicians and business figures, and the APPG on Central Asia it serviced has suspended its secretariat.
- The Chinese embassy denounced the case and lodged a formal protest, as UK ministers warned of severe consequences if interference in British affairs is proven.
- The Times reports MI5 opened the inquiry before passing it to the Met, with Taylor’s recent China‑related travel noted in coverage, and Joani Reid has stepped back from Labour while saying she is not under police investigation.