The partner of a Labour MP has been arrested on suspicion of assisting Chinese intelligence as part of an investigation under the National Security Act.
David Taylor, who is in a relationship with Labour MP Joani Reid, was detained by Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism officers. Two other men were also arrested this week: Matthew Aplin, 43, from Pontyclun in South Wales, and Steve Jones, 68, from Powys. All three were held on suspicion of activities linked to Chinese intelligence services.
Police carried out searches at the properties where the arrests were made and at additional addresses in London, East Kilbride and Cardiff.
Taylor, born in 1986, is head of programmes at Asia House, a London-based think tank focused on strengthening engagement between Asia and Europe. He joined the organisation in September 2024. He has previously worked as a lobbyist for energy companies and served as a special adviser in the Wales Office during the New Labour government.
Reid was elected as the Labour MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven in July 2024 and currently serves on the House of Commons home affairs committee. Following the arrest, she said she had never seen any indication that her partner had broken the law.
One of the other suspects, Matthew Aplin, previously worked as a senior communications officer for Labour in the Welsh Assembly. He has also held roles with the energy regulator Ofgem and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. Since February 2025, he has worked as a senior consultant for Camlas, a public affairs consultancy based in Cardiff.
Rhodri ab Owen, managing director of Camlas, said Aplin had been suspended while the investigation continues. He added that the company had not been contacted by police and said it had no connections to Chinese companies or the Chinese government.
The third man arrested, Steve Jones, previously served as a special adviser to Hilary Armstrong when she was chief whip under former prime minister Tony Blair between 2001 and 2006. According to an online CV, Jones worked from both Downing Street and the House of Commons during that period.
Jones later worked as a special adviser to the Welsh Government from 2009 to 2014, supporting ministers by liaising with backbench members. More recently, he worked as a consultant for Camlas.
Security minister Dan Jarvis told the House of Commons that UK officials had contacted Chinese authorities in both London and Beijing regarding the arrests. He said the government was concerned about what he described as an increasing pattern of covert activity by actors linked to the Chinese state targeting democratic institutions in the UK.
Jarvis said such activity included attempts to gather information about government policy and interfere with British political processes. He also announced plans for a programme to help think tanks and non-profit organisations recognise and respond to the risks of foreign interference.
Asia House, where Taylor works, was founded in 1996 by former British diplomat Sir Peter Wakefield. The organisation regularly hosts events involving senior political figures. In recent years, speakers have included senior ministers and prominent politicians from across the political spectrum.
The arrests come amid broader concerns in Westminster about alleged attempts by Chinese actors to influence or gather intelligence within the UK’s political system.
Matt Western, chair of Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, said the UK could face further similar cases involving alleged intelligence-gathering activities targeting democratic institutions.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said investigators had seen a significant increase in national security-related cases in recent years.
The investigation continues.
