Barry Gardiner: The Labour MP under spotlight for links to ‘Chinese agent’

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Former shadow cabinet minister Barry Gardiner, who received hundreds of thousands of pounds from an alleged Chinese government agent, has said he was “deeply distressed” to learn one of his biggest donors had been illegally trying to influence British politicians. Defending his actions at the time, having been criticised by colleagues such as Ms Nandy – now the shadow levelling-up secretary – and the current Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis, Mr Gardiner said he felt conflicted between his desire to “set an example” over coronavirus measures and also “call out racial injustice”. In an interview with Sky News on Thursday, the Labour MP said upon learning Ms Lee’s status, he “immediately contacted her son … and I asked him to tender his resignation forthwith, which he did”. Since Thursdays’s news broke about Ms Lee, Mr Gardiner has also moved to highlight his past criticisms of the Chinese government, such as on climate change issues and human rights concerns.