By Oliver Wright and Hannah McGrath
Barry Gardiner with Christine Lee in 2014. Her law firm has funded staff costs for the shadow international trade secretary since 2015 and her son works in his parliamentary office.
A shadow minister is being funded by a law firm with links to the Chinese state, an investigation by The Times has established.
Barry Gardiner, shadow international trade secretary, has received more than £180,000 in staff costs from the firm that acts as chief legal adviser to the Chinese embassy.
At the same time Gardiner, 59, has been employing the son of the firm’s founder in his Westminster office.
A shadow minister is being funded by a law firm with links to the Chinese state, an investigation by The Times has established.
Barry Gardiner, shadow international trade secretary, has received more than £180,000 in staff costs from the firm that acts as chief legal adviser to the Chinese embassy.
At the same time Gardiner, 59, has been employing the son of the firm’s founder in his Westminster office.
Parliamentary records show that the donations partly fund the son’s salary.
Gardiner has generally taken a pro-Beijing stance in his shadow portfolios.
Gardiner has generally taken a pro-Beijing stance in his shadow portfolios.
In his previous role as shadow energy secretary, he supported Chinese involvement in Britain’s nuclear power industry.
He has spoken out strongly in favour of the Hinkley Point power station, which is being built in financial partnership with a Chinese state energy giant.
Labour sources expressed disquiet last night at the arrangement.
Labour sources expressed disquiet last night at the arrangement.
They warned that it could give rise to allegations of a conflict of interest.
“When you are in that kind of [shadow cabinet] role it is problematic,” one MP said.
“Basically this woman is paying for her son to have a parliamentary pass.”
Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, said: “It is very bizarre and there are clearly questions to be answered. You lay yourself open to the charge that you have got too familiar with one of the key players in an area where you are supposed to be representing the wider public interest.”
Gardiner told The Times that Christine Lee’s son, Daniel Wilkes, had volunteered in his office for several months before he was paid and there had been “an open appointments process” in which Wilkes was “appointed on merit”.
Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, said: “It is very bizarre and there are clearly questions to be answered. You lay yourself open to the charge that you have got too familiar with one of the key players in an area where you are supposed to be representing the wider public interest.”
Gardiner told The Times that Christine Lee’s son, Daniel Wilkes, had volunteered in his office for several months before he was paid and there had been “an open appointments process” in which Wilkes was “appointed on merit”.
The money is being used to fund Wilkes, who is in his 20s, and another researcher in his office.
The Times contacted Lee for comment but had not received a response at time of publication.
Gardiner opposed criticism of Chinese involvement in Hinkley Point
Gardiner has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Chinese interests in Britain.
He strongly opposed internal party criticism of Chinese involvement in the Hinkley Point project.
He has also called on Theresa May to tell Beijing that Britain wanted strong Chinese investment in infrastructure projects.
The donations for staff costs began shortly after Gardiner was made shadow minister for energy and climate change in September 2015.
The donations for staff costs began shortly after Gardiner was made shadow minister for energy and climate change in September 2015.
They carried on as he was promoted to shadow energy secretary and then became shadow international trade secretary.
Since November 2015, he has declared non-cash donations of £182,284.
Before this, his constituency party received cash donations from Christine Lee & Co of £22,500 between 2009 and 2015.
Lee’s Birmingham-based firm is one of the leading solicitors representing Chinese companies and individuals who want to invest in Britain.
Lee’s Birmingham-based firm is one of the leading solicitors representing Chinese companies and individuals who want to invest in Britain.
It has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
Lee, 53, is an overseas member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a legal adviser to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office.
Lee, 53, is an overseas member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a legal adviser to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office.
Her website shows her meeting Xi Jinping.
When Xi visited Britain in 2015 Lee’s firm paid for the security company G4S to provide 30 staff for “personal protection” for her staff during demonstrations in the Mall in favour of the visit.
In the same year The Times reported that military and intelligence figures had warned ministers that plans to give China a stake in Britain’s nuclear power industry posed a threat to national security.
In the same year The Times reported that military and intelligence figures had warned ministers that plans to give China a stake in Britain’s nuclear power industry posed a threat to national security.
Gardiner’s predecessor as shadow energy secretary, Lisa Nandy, took a hawkish line.
The following year Ms Nandy resigned and Gardiner was given her job as shadow climate change and energy secretary.
Theresa May then announced that she was putting the Hinkley deal on hold.
Theresa May then announced that she was putting the Hinkley deal on hold.
Gardiner issued a press release backing the Chinese ambassador’s warning over the suspension and accusing her of “closing UK Plc down”.
Last night Gardiner said he was “certainly not a lone voice” in condemning the “politically foolish action” of delaying the Hinkley deal.
Last night Gardiner said he was “certainly not a lone voice” in condemning the “politically foolish action” of delaying the Hinkley deal.
He said he was aware that Christine Lee co-conducted “legal work for the Chinese embassy”.
Parliamentary rules do not specifically forbid Gardiner’s relationship with Christine Lee & Co, or the employment of Lee’s son, but he could still be in breach of the MPs’ code of conduct.
Parliamentary rules do not specifically forbid Gardiner’s relationship with Christine Lee & Co, or the employment of Lee’s son, but he could still be in breach of the MPs’ code of conduct.
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