1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Gail Downey, UK correspondents with US. Hello Gail, Hello there, Gail. 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: The spy case and the government's involvement is fascinating. Run 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: me through it. 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 2: Oh, it's been rumbling on for some time. So it's 5 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 2: now been revealed that the case against two men, a 6 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 2: teacher and a parliamentary researcher accused of spying for China 7 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: collapsed because the Director of Public Prosecutions, which is the 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 2: UK's most senior prosecutor, couldn't get any evidence from the government. 9 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,480 Speaker 2: He said there was evidence to prosecute when the case 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 2: was originally brought last April. However, and precedent has been 11 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 2: set by another spying case which has raised the threshold 12 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 2: for a conviction. So under the last government, their assessment 13 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 2: of China was that it was an epoch defining challenge 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: of a country, but nothing more. To be able to 15 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 2: get a case for spying now you have to have 16 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 2: evidence which represents China as a threat to national security 17 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 2: at the time of the alleged defenses, which the previous government, 18 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 2: which is when these alleged defenses took place, and both 19 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: men deny they deny the charges, that wasn't available. Therefore, 20 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 2: case thrown out that's it. 21 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: Well can they not though this so does it have 22 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: to they have been at the time, like concurrent with 23 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: the alleged spying, the government had to have seen China 24 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: as as some sort of a national security threat or 25 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: can they now declare them a national security threat thereby 26 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 1: allowing them to take the spying case. 27 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: No, the Prime Ministers Kistoma has said that's just not possible. 28 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: It has to be at the time, and of course 29 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: he's a lawyer and that's what's been decided. 30 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, he would know. Okay, what's going on with this 31 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: company that's been housing the asylum seekers. 32 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, as you know asylum seekers, and the housing asylum 33 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: seekers has caused and upbrought here with protests outside asylum 34 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: seeking hotels. And this is a company called Clear Springs 35 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 2: Ready Homes, which supports around thirty thousand asylum seekers both 36 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 2: in England and Wales, and its subcontracts to hotels for 37 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 2: many of the islum seekers to provide accommodation for about 38 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 2: half that number. It began its contract under the previous 39 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 2: government in twenty nineteen and it's now been revealed over 40 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: the past five years they've made three hundred and sixty 41 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: million dollars in profit, despite claims of terrible conditions at 42 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: the hotel it uses. I mean charities, have you know 43 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 2: publicly shown inedible food, miserable conditions that people are living in. However, 44 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 2: it's one of three companies which has a ten year 45 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: contract with the Home Office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers, 46 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 2: and the contracts is expected to be over a ten 47 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: year period fourteen billion dollars. 48 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: Wow, hey, but it's yes, carry on. 49 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: Sorry, I was just going to say I was shocked 50 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: at that figure. But the fee is not thought to 51 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 2: be excessive. Right, well, for the size of the ten 52 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 2: I suppose what you. 53 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: Consider as big as what as different to what I've considered. 54 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,679 Speaker 1: Have you put that little parrot dog away by the way. 55 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: Oh yes I have. I put her far far off. 56 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 2: That doesn't mean she's gone to a farm. She's actually 57 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 2: just sat in the car outside. 58 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: Outside, Gail like you've you've you've had to remove the 59 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: dog from the inside of the house. Yes, because she 60 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: is so yippy. 61 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 2: She's a jack Russell. Let me say so, anyone who's 62 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: ever owned a Jack Russell? Or no, they're very, very determined. 63 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: So it was either five minutes outside in her very 64 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: comfortable seat in the car, or the doors being pulled 65 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 2: off the hinges. 66 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: Yes, possibly that, or just saying to newstalk Zip Drive, 67 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: no I can't I can't handle no fair enough, Hey Gail, 68 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: thank you so much. As always, we'll talk to you 69 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: again in a couple of days. Gal Downie and Forgaven Gray. 70 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 71 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 72 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.