A British man who was charged with spying for China has told the BBC he was a "convenient fall guy" for UK police and security services who wanted to put espionage threats by foreign states "on the map".
Chris Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, has shared more than 6,000 messages with us revealing how a Chinese official sought information about sensitive political matters in the UK - including the 2022 Tory leadership battle to decide the next prime minister.
The messages show how Cash's friend in China, Chris Berry - with whom he had been sharing information - dramatically described a "secret" meeting between Berry and a high-ranking Chinese official.
Berry said he had been told that China was concerned about how a British MP it had sanctioned might be promoted to a cabinet role.
The messages also reveal how Cash used his friend as a reference during vetting for a parliamentary pass - which was approved.
In his first interview since his acquittal, which sparked a political row over the government's failure to designate China as a "threat", Cash says he would "never do anything" to harm UK national security.
But he admits he was "unprofessional and naive" to send "gossiping"
