Britain announces overhaul of espionage, treason laws
The British government is preparing parliamentary legislation to overhaul the country’s espionage and treason laws.
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said on Monday that the new laws would make it difficult for foreign agents acting in the UK in political capacity to carry out spying activities.
Speaking to a group of security officials in central London, Javid said that under the new laws, agents representing the interests of foreign powers in a “political or quasi-political capacity” will be required to disclose their relationship with their government in full details and also give information about related activities and finances.
The new requirements are quite similar to a system in the United States where authorities can expel key figures from the country in response to alleged hostile state activity.
“We have to ensure that we have the necessary powers to meet current and evolving threats to the UK, both domestically and overseas,” said Javid.
Javid said Britain’s current treason laws will also be updated to include British nationals who operate on behalf of a hostile nation.
The introduction of the new laws comes more than a year after Britain became locked in a dispute with Russia over a poisoning attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter in Salisbury, in southern England.
London has accused the Russian government of carrying out the attack although it has yet to come up with clear evidences supporting its claims.
Javid said the need for new espionage and terrorism laws evolved after government examined various dimensions of the attack in Salisbury.
However, he said the new laws are not only meant to respond to what UK authorities call the increasing threats from Russia.
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