{"id":57265,"date":"2026-03-05T15:52:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T20:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/labour-mp-voluntarily-suspends-herself-amid-china-spy-probe\/05\/03\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T15:52:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T20:52:41","slug":"labour-mp-voluntarily-suspends-herself-amid-china-spy-probe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/labour-mp-voluntarily-suspends-herself-amid-china-spy-probe\/05\/03\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Labour MP &#8216;voluntarily suspends herself&#8217; amid China spy probe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Labour MP Joani Reid has stepped down from the party after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In a statement, Reid said she was &#8220;voluntarily suspending herself&#8221; from the Labour party while an internal investigation was carried out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Taylor, a businessman and former Labour adviser, was one of three men arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The East Kilbride and Strathaven MP said she was not personally under investigation by police and had done nothing wrong, but said she would &#8220;not sit as a Labour MP&#8221; until the probe was concluded.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Labour Party described the allegations as &#8220;incredibly serious&#8221; but said Reid was &#8220;co-operating fully&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c89kkj0lp81o?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:with the investigation;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">with the investigation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It is understood that both Reid and Taylor have been administratively suspended.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Reid said she had taken the decision to temporarily stand down to avoid becoming a &#8220;distraction&#8221; for the government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She also said it was to protect her children from &#8220;intrusion&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;This week has been the worst of my life. The shock of recent days has been difficult for me and my family,&#8221; Reid said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I am not under investigation by the police and no accusations have been against me. I have done nothing wrong.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I am voluntarily suspending myself from the whip and will not sit as a Labour MP until internal investigations are concluded. I will welcome and co-operate with any questions and worries the party may have.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Taylor was arrested in London and has since been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/crm8898ex3mo?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:released on bail;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">released on bail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Matthew Aplin, 43, and Steve Jones, 68, have also been bailed after being arrested in Wales.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Counter-terrorism police have searched properties where the men were arrested as well as others in Cardiff, East Kilbride and London.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Joani Reid&#8217;s grandfather Jimmy Reid was a famed trade unionist [Getty Images]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Following Taylor&#8217;s arrest, Reid, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/election\/2024\/uk\/constituencies\/S14000077?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:elected to the East Kilbride and Strathaven seat in 2024;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">elected to the East Kilbride and Strathaven seat in 2024<\/a>, said she had never been to China, nor spoken on any China-related matters in the House of Commons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Taylor, a former advisor to Welsh Labour politicians, ran as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c7955ewj7gwo?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:the party's candidate;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">the party&#8217;s candidate<\/a> to become North Wales police and crime commissioner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On Thursday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heraldscotland.com\/news\/25907990.joani-reid-company-received-20k-loans-husband\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:The Herald;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">The Herald<\/a> newspaper reported Reid&#8217;s consultancy company, Reid Strategy Limited, had received more than \u00a323,000 in interest-free loans from two of Taylor&#8217;s businesses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Taylor, meanwhile, was paid more than \u00a3600,000 by a now-wound up construction firm, Moblake, in the form of an interest-free loan with no repayment terms and paid a further \u00a3300,000 in dividends and \u00a330,000 in an interest-free loan by PR and communications consultancy Earthcott since 2021.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by either spouse in relation to these transactions reported to Companies House.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Reid was born in Glasgow and is the granddaughter of famed trade unionist and journalist Jimmy Reid.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She has spent most of her career in London but moved to East Kilbride in 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The other men arrested have both spent time as political advisers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Jones is a former Welsh government special adviser and Aplin was previous a Labour press officer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">All three have been bailed to a date in May and inquiries remain ongoing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/labour-mp-voluntarily-suspends-herself-200807215.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Labour MP Joani Reid has stepped down from the party after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China. In<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/labour-mp-voluntarily-suspends-herself-amid-china-spy-probe\/05\/03\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":57266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/64f68d93b7ec1b82597074ef63dcf9ba","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57265"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}