After years of work, plans to register ‘foreign influence agents’ operating in the UK, similar to those in the US, have been temporarily shelved as the new Labour government in London seeks to reassess its relationship with Beijing.
The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) became law last year as part of efforts to protect British politics from ‘malign foreign actors.’ Countries such as Russia, Iran, and China were expected to face further scrutiny under the scheme, but its implementation has now been delayed until next year.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to POLITICO that the policy on China, including the FIRS programme, has been paused until the completion of the government’s ‘China audit,’ which is expected early next year.
Labour blames conservative government for delay
Controversy erupted last week after Labour Security Minister Dan Jarvis blamed the previous Conservative government for the delay.
Jarvis claimed that the Conservatives had “completely failed to take the necessary measures” to implement the plan and that IT solutions for registration were “not ready.”
His comments followed a letter from his Conservative predecessor, Tom Tugendhat, who questioned the delay and said he had been ready to launch the scheme in autumn 2024. Tugendhat argued that there was no reason the scheme couldn’t be launched before the end of this year, even considering the upcoming UK general election.
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Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, the former chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told POLITICO that the ‘necessary preparatory work’ had been completed ‘well in advance’ of the election, and described Labour’s claims as ‘completely unfounded.’
Kearns suggested that Labour’s ‘softening position’ on China was responsible for the delay.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Beijing last week as part of a broader diplomatic initiative to review economic and political relations with China.
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The same official, quoted earlier, indicated that the review, expected to conclude in January, will provide ministers with clear guidance on areas of policy where closer engagement with China is possible.
Another government official, also speaking anonymously, said he was not aware of the specific details of the FIRS programme but noted that the shift in approach towards China had been prompted by the Treasury.
The FIRS programme, designed to align the UK with ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence allies such as Australia and the United States, will require individuals engaging in political activities on behalf of a foreign power in the UK to register. Once a country is placed in the ‘advanced’ tier, ministers will be able to extend registration requirements to cover a wider range of activities and individuals working on behalf of foreign government-controlled organisations.
