Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insists the UK has the “most robust policy” in place to protect the country when quizzed over the case of a parliamentary researcher alleged to have spied for Beijing.

Mr Sunak said: “We have the most robust policy that has existed ever in our country’s foreign policy”, saying it is to protect the country and align the approach with close allies, and to engage “where it makes sense” and to raise “our very significant concerns” – an approach he said was welcomed by allies.

Mr Sunak stopped short of explicitly saying whether Foreign Secretary James Cleverly raised the specific case of a parliamentary researcher alleged to have spied for Beijing.