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Security services would help Senedd members with spying fears, says Eluned Morgan

Adrian BrowneWales political reporter
News imageSenedd Commission Senedd members in the recently expanded circular Senedd chamber with Eluned Morgan on her feet as other members listen while seated at their desks. The top of the picture is dominated by the large wooden funnel above the chamber.Senedd Commission
MSs back in the main chamber two weeks ago after a refit making room for more of them after May's election

Security services are on standby to help Senedd members believing they have seen infiltration attempts by hostile foreign states, according to First Minister Eluned Morgan.

It follows the arrest and release on bail of three men with connections to Wales and the Labour Party last week on suspicion of spying for China.

In Tuesday's First Minister's Questions, Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar asked Morgan when she knew of the "national security concerns" and if there was an urgent review of vetting.

Morgan said she it would be "inappropriate" to comment "on any detail" of a "live investigation" but that security services had offered to support MSs fearing "any attempt at infiltration".

The three men were arrested at addresses in Wales and London last Wednesday and subsequently bailed as part of a counter-terrorism investigation under the National Security Act.

They were:

  • David Taylor, 39, a former Wales Office adviser married to a Labour MP
  • Steve Jones, 68, an ex-Welsh government adviser
  • Matthew Aplin, 43, a former Labour press officer and ex-member of Reform

In the Welsh Parliament on Tuesday Millar accused the first minister of issuing "a few cursory sentences that told us nothing" on the case in a written statement last Thursday.

Millar asked: "Can you tell us when did you become aware of the national security concerns, and can you also tell us whether you've initiated an urgent review of the vetting and security arrangements for staff employed by your government and party?"

Morgan responded: "I think it's got to be made absolutely clear that this is a live investigation, and therefore it would be inappropriate for me to comment on any detail affecting this issue.

"This is a serious issue.

"There are serious allegations that have been laid down, and therefore I want to respect that legal process, and I will not be commenting on the details of any of this case."

News imageBBC/Asia House/Facebook Individual headshots of three men side by side in a composite image. On the left, one has greying hair and light eyes, wearing a white dress shirt as he looks off camera with no expression on his face. In the centre, another smiles into the camera, with dark hair and eyes, wearing glasses and a suit. On the right, the third smiles into the camera, with light hair and eyes and a beard.BBC/Asia House/Facebook
Steve Jones, David Taylor, and Matthew Aplin were arrested last Wednesday and subsequently bailed

Pointing out that the Welsh government has three offices in China, Millar asked how Morgan was ensuring "our national security is not being compromised by the Labour Party or the Welsh Labour government in either Wales or China, and what meetings have taken place in those overseas offices in China over the past five years?"

Morgan repeated that she could not say more on a live investigation, adding that the Welsh government would "always support the work of the police and security services to keep people safe".

Pressed further by Millar, the first minister said there were "threats from foreign governments with hostile state activity being undertaken on British soil, and it's clear that Wales is not immune from these risks".

"Let me be clear that there is support that the national security services have offered to Senedd members if they fear that there is any attempt at infiltration within this place," she said.