The personal details of millions of voters are believed to have been accessed in an attack by China on Britain’s democratic process, ministers will say.
MPs and peers are thought to be among 43 people who the government looks set to confirm have been targeted by cyber-attacks backed by the Chinese state. The UK could impose sanctions on individuals believed to be involved in these acts of state-backed interference, one of which was a separate attack on the Electoral Commission in which Beijing accessed the personal details of about 40 million voters.
Ministers will set out full details on Monday, with the deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, expected to tell parliament that Beijing is behind this wave of cyber-attacks.
With the UK under pressure to respond, multiple reports suggested that sanctions against individuals thought to be connected with the alleged activity are under strong consideration.
A small group of politicians who are hawkish on China are said to have been called to a briefing by parliament’s director of security, Alison Giles, in relation to the activity.
They include former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former minister Tim Loughton, the crossbench peer Lord Alton and the SNP MP Stewart McDonald, the Times reported.
The four are members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) pressure group, which focuses on issues involving the increasingly assertive Asian power.
Some of those affected are understood to be preparing to jointly address the matter publicly on Monday. A government spokesperson refused to comment on Sunday.
At an Ipac meeting on Friday, Luke de Pulford, its executive director, said: “About a year ago the Belgian and French foreign ministries publicly confirmed [Chinese state] sponsored cyber-attacks against our members.
“Other countries have done the same privately. Beijing has made no secret of their desire to attack foreign politicians who dare to stand up to them.”
Earlier this month a US army intelligence analyst was arrested and charged with conspiring to sell sensitive defence information to China.
Meanwhile, reforms of UK spying laws continue to make their way through parliament, with the investigatory powers (amendment) bill also in the Commons on Monday.
The legislation, designed to ensure the UK’s investigatory powers framework remains adequate in the face of evolving threats, includes measures to make it easier for agencies to examine and retain bulk datasets.
If passed, it will update elements of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 found to require a refresh by a statutory review published by the Home Office in February 2023.
