China dismisses British accusation of political interference

BEIJING (AP) — China is dismissing a warning from Britain’s domestic intelligence service to lawmakers that a London-based lawyer is trying to “covertly interfere in U.K. politics” on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party as “irresponsible.” A Foreign Ministry spokesperson says China has “no need to and will never engage in the so-called interference,” and suggested that those behind the accusation “may be too obsessed with James Bond 007 movies and made some unnecessary associations.” House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle on Thursday sent legislators an alert from the MI5 spy agency alleging that the lawyer was acting in coordination with the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, an organization known to exert Chinese influence abroad.