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Hello, I'm Mandy Baker and this is the Yesterday in Parliament podcast.

On Wednesday the 15th of October, MPs discussed the China spy case.

The Prime Minister was on his feet for mere moments before he put the cat very much among the pigeons.

Mr Speaker, on that point, may update the House on the China spy case.

A statement hadn't been expected. MPs perked up.

This was about the failed prosecution of two men accused of spying for China, something they deny,

and the ongoing saga about who's to blame for the collapse of the

case. The Tories say the government didn't provide enough evidence because it was currying

favour with Beijing. The government says that's nonsense and it was the Conservatives in power

at the time of the arrests who were responsible. So what was Sakeer Stama going to say?

I have decided to publish the witness statement. Given the information contained, we will conduct

a short process, but I want to make clear, I intend to publish the witness statements in full.

These are the statements made by the Deputy National Security Advisor

and given to the Crown Prosecution Service, the CPS.

Promising to release them was unexpected.

How would the Conservative leader respond?

While a Labour MP asked a question about apprentices

at a world-leading cataract solutions firm in Worthing,

Kemi Bade Nox scribbled on her notes.

One of her MPs, Neil O'Brien, who's been sanctioned by Beijing, shifted along the front bench and whispered to her.

Exactly as I expected, the Prime Minister had to be dragged out at the top of PMQs to give a statement that answers no questions.

...