Christine Lee’s penetration into the heart of the British political establishment has been breathtakingly successful.
The Chinese lawyer consorted in plain sight with Prime Ministers, peers and senior MPs, pumping hundreds of thousands of pounds into both Labour and Tory coffers as, according to MI5, she sought to extend Beijing’s influence.
Her law firm, with offices in London, Birmingham and China and Hong Kong, bankrolled former Labour front-bencher and Corbyn ally Barry Gardiner MP’s office, to the tune of over £500,000 over five years and her son Daniel Wilkes worked in the same office as his diary secretary with his own Parliamentary pass for several years – at least, until his sudden resignation today.
A long line of politicians from all sides of the House have also been happy to be associated with Ms Lee until MI5’s damning assessment of her ‘interference’ – covertly seeking to gain influence – was issued in a bombshell alert.
She has donated £5,000 to the Liberal Democrats in 2005 and another £5,000 to now party leader Ed Davey in 2013, when he was energy Secretary in the coalition government.
So popular was she in Westminster that just two years ago Lee received glowing praise from Theresa May as she was given a Points of Light award for making a difference in her community.
Christine Lee's political influence in both Britain and China is clear when you consider that Lee, a twice-married mother-of-two has been pictured with both David Cameron (pictured together at the British GG2 leadership awards in 2015) and China President Xi Jinpin
Her law firm, with offices in London, Birmingham and China and Hong Kong, bankrolled former Labour front-bencher and Corbyn ally Barry Gardiner MP’s office, to the tune of over £500,000 over five years. Pictured: Lee with Gardiner outside the Houses of Parliament in 2013
Mrs May told her in a statement issued by Downing Street: ‘You should feel very proud of the difference that “The British Chinese Project” is making in promoting engagement, understanding, and cooperation between the Chinese and British communities in the UK.
‘I also wish you well with your work to further the inclusion and participation of British-Chinese people in the UK political system.’
Her political influence in both Britain and China is clear when you consider that Lee, a twice-married mother-of-two has been pictured with both David Cameron and China President Xi Jinpin.
And company was described by China Daily as ‘the only Chinese-owned British law firm approved by the Chinese government to set up offices in China’.
Lee's influence at Westminster and her friendship with Gardiner dates back to 2004 when she founded the British Chinese Poroject which claimed to be a 'non-partisan, voluntary organisation seeking to raise the presence of the Chinese community in the British political arena.' The group was once chaired by Gardiner.
She ran the group alongside her other son, Michael Wilkes. Research revealed that both Lee and Wilkes had previously congratulated Tory MP Alan Mak for his electoral victory in 2015 and the BCP referred to 'our Chinese candidates'.
Ms Lee, a London-based solicitor and a former chief legal adviser to the Chinese embassy in London, speaking to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2016. She is also the secretary of the Inter-Party China Group at Westminster.
A warning memo was sent to all MPs and Peers in Westminster today by the Speaker's Parliamentary security team, and no politicians are suspected of any criminality.
