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Writing from London
China’s spy masters want to ensnare disgraced royals because they want to ensnare EVERYONE

China’s spy masters want to ensnare disgraced royals because they want to ensnare EVERYONE

Reports of the sinister and the preposterous

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Nick Cohen
Dec 14, 2024
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Writing from London
Writing from London
China’s spy masters want to ensnare disgraced royals because they want to ensnare EVERYONE
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Greetings,

And a special welcome to new readers who joined this week. Substack works by signing you up as a free or paying subscriber. If you don’t know the score, free subscribers have access to occasional posts. Paying subscribers have access to all posts, archives, podcasts and debates.

You also allow me to write without fear or favour, which means a lot!

The cost of an annual subscription works out at £1.15 ($1.40) a week – hardly a fortune. There’s a free trial, too.


This week the London Times had a genuine, gold-plated scoop that could only leave its rivals gasping with envy.

Prince Andrew, brother of King Charles, appointed an alleged Chinese spy as his business adviser, and promised him links to the heart of the royal family.

I say “alleged” but MI5 was absolutely convinced that the 50-year-old man was working for the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, the propaganda and espionage directorate that manages Chinese influence operations.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission agreed, and upheld a ban on the spy returning to Britain.

Only one question remained, and even the Times was bothered by it: Why the hell would China want to get its claws into such a marginal and discredited figure as Prince Andrew?

What possible gain could Beijing hope to make from recruiting a deadbeat?

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