Scottish MP Joani Reid's partner, David Taylor, was one of three men arrested by the Met on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service on Wednesday
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A Labour MP whose husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China believes her spouse did not break the law.
Scottish MP Joani Reid's partner, David Taylor, was one of three men arrested by the Met on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service on Wednesday.
Following his arrest, Ms Reid, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee and MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, vowed that she "had never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law”.
“I am not any sort of admirer or apologist for the Chinese Communist Party’s dictatorship,” she added.
The Met confirmed it had arrested three men – aged 39, 43 and 68 respectively – following a counter-terrorism police investigation.
Their addresses were searched by counter-terrorism officers, long with three other properties in London, East Kilbride and Cardiff.
The Guardian reported that one of those arrested is the partner of a sitting Labour MP, while another is the partner of a former Labour MP.
All three were taken into police custody, where they currently remain.
In a statement, Ms Reid said: "I have never been to China. I have never spoken on China or China-related matters in the Commons. I have never asked a question on China-related matters.
"As far as I am aware, I have never met any Chinese businesses whilst I have been an MP, any Chinese diplomats or government employees, nor raised any concern with ministers or anyone else on behalf of, even coincidentally, Chinese interests.
"I am a social democrat who believes in freedom of expression, free trade unions and free elections.
"I am not any sort of admirer or apologist for the Chinese Communist Party’s dictatorship.
“I have never seen anything to make me suspect my husband has broken any law.
“I am not part of my husband’s business activities and neither I nor my children are part of this investigation, and we should not be treated by media organisations as though we are. Above all I expect media organisations to respect my children’s privacy."
Wednesday's arrests comes as part of a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation into suspected National Security Act offences.
The country to which the investigation relates is China, the force said.
As part of the probe, officers arrested a 39-year-old man at an address in London, as well as detaining a 68-year-old man at a property in Powys, Wales.
A third man, 68, was arrested in Pontyclun, Wales.
Upon hearing news of the arrests, Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs that Chinese officials in the UK and Beijing have been given a dressing down.
He told MPs that there will be "severe consequences" if it is proven that China attempted to interfere with UK sovereign affairs.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Jarvis said: "Let me be clear, if there is proven evidence of attempts by China to interfere with UK sovereign affairs, we will impose severe consequences and hold all actors involved to account.
"The Government is taking robust action to ensure the UK’s democratic institutions and processes are a hard target for this activity.
"The National Security Act provides our intelligence agencies and law enforcement with the modern legal tools they need to deter, detect and disrupt the full range of state threats.
"The action counter-terrorism police have been able to take this morning is an example that that legislation is working well."
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: "We have seen a significant increase in our casework relating to national security in recent years, and we continue to work extremely closely with our partners to help keep the country safe and take action to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it."
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Wednesday March 4 2026, we carried out a search of an address in East Kilbride on behalf of an investigation being led by Counter Terrorism Policing London.”
