Christine Lee, a lawyer accused of attempting to influence UK MPs on behalf of China, has lost her legal challenge against MI5. The investigatory powers tribunal ruled MI5 acted lawfully in issuing an “interference alert” in January 2022, accusing Lee of engaging in political interference for Beijing.

The tribunal, led by Lord Justice Singh, dismissed claims from Lee and her son Daniel Wilkes, asserting that MI5’s concerns about Lee’s national security threat had a “rational basis.” The details of these concerns were kept confidential for security reasons.

Lee, a prominent figure in Anglo-Chinese relations, had donated substantial sums to Labour MP Barry Gardiner’s office and received an award from former Prime Minister Theresa May. MI5 had linked her activities to the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the Chinese Communist Party, accusing it of covertly influencing UK politics.

While Lee denies being a Chinese agent, she claimed the alert was politically motivated to benefit the Conservative Party. Gardiner, who severed ties with Lee following the alert, confirmed that the funds she donated were not deemed illegal by MI5.

The tribunal also dismissed Wilkes’s claims of human rights violations, noting that MI5’s actions did not infringe on his privacy or family life. This case follows the recent exclusion of businessman Yang Tengbo, also suspected of acting on behalf of China.