Princess Beatrice smiles in group picture with Labour MP’s ‘Chinese spy’ husband on charity journey to Nepal
Princess Beatrice was pictured smiling in Nepal alongside the husband of a Labour MP arrested on suspicion of spying for China, it was revealed today.
David Taylor, 39, the husband of Labour MP Joani Reid, was held in London on Wednesday morning.
He and the two other former Labour advisers – named by the BBC as Matthew Aplin, 43 and Steve Jones 68 – were released on bail while police continue inquiries.
Today it emerged that Mr Taylor went on a nine-day charity trip to Nepal with a small group including Princess Beatrice in October 2016.
The i Paper reports that while there is no evidence that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s eldest daughter is involved in any of Taylor’s alleged spying activities, it does show how well connected Taylor was with ‘Britain’s elite’, including the royals.
They were together on a trip supporting the Franks Family Foundation where they saw the work of Dr Sandek Ruit, a Nepalese eye surgeon who treats patients for free, and also visited a children’s home.
Beatrice, a patron of the charity who is ninth in line to the British throne, also had a private meeting with the Bhutanese Royal Family.
The foundation’s founder Simon Franks has said that David Taylor’s arrest had shocked him.
‘During his time as a policy advisor to the foundation, I found David to be a kind, charitable and proud Brit. I am astonished by the arrest’, Mr Franks said.
Princess Beatrice was pictured smiling alongside the husband of a Labour MP arrested on suspicion of spying for China during a trip to Nepal in 2016
‘Princess Beatrice has worked tirelessly for the foundation for over a decade, supporting our education and public health projects in Laos, Cambodia and Nepal, to which she has travelled on many occasions for the foundation’.
He insisted Beatrice ‘did not know him prior and has not seen him since’.
It came after Taylor’s wife Joani Reid said she had ‘voluntarily suspended’ the Labour whip after her husband was arrested.
The East Kilbride and Strathaven MP said: ‘This week has been the worst of my life. The shock of recent days has been difficult for me and my family.’
The mother of two, 40, stressed: ‘I have done nothing wrong.
‘I want to reiterate something very important: I am not under investigation by the police and no accusations have been against me. I have done nothing wrong. I love my country. To serve the people of East Kilbride and Strathaven as their MP and the Labour Party has been – and continues to be – the privilege of my life.
‘I understand that speculation and gossip is fevered at a time like this. I do not want the circumstances that I and my family find ourselves in to be a distraction for this government, of which I am proud and in whom I believe.
‘I also do not want my children – who have nothing to answer for and who deserve privacy and compassion – to find themselves subject to intrusion.’
She added: ‘Following discussions with the Chief Whip, I am voluntarily suspending myself from the whip… and will not sit as a Labour MP until internal investigations are concluded.’
Yesterday, Mr Taylor and the two other advisers – named by the BBC as Matthew Aplin, 43 and Steve Jones 68 – were released on bail while police continue inquiries.
Last night it emerged that police had searched the London home of another senior Labour adviser married to a former MP.
James Robinson, a former aide to ex-Labour deputy leader Lord Watson, revealed police searched his home in relation to the China spy probe. The former Guardian journalist is married to ex-Labour MP Gloria de Piero.
Mr Robinson said: ‘I can confirm that police officers visited my home yesterday with a search warrant. I understand their attendance was part of enquiries into those arrested and questioned over matters allegedly relating to China.
‘Naturally, I co-operated fully with the police and will, of course, continue to do so as long as their investigations into the possible wrongdoing of others continues.’
He added: ‘I would like to make it absolutely clear that I have neither been detained, arrested nor questioned in connection with this, or any other, matter.’
Joani Reid pictured with her husband David Taylor who was arrested along with two other former Labour Party advisers on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. He has since been released on bail
Two former Labour advisers Steve Jones, 68, (left) and Matthew Aplin, 43 (right) were arrested and later released on bail amid the China spy probe
Ms Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, pictured with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in February 2024. She has suspended herself from Labour
Police also raided the home of a journalist as part of their inquiries into a series of trips to China Mr Taylor made to meet representatives who reported to President Xi Jinping.
Martin Shipton, 68, was asleep in his Cardiff home on Wednesday when eight counter terrorism officers attended his home at 6.20am.
Yesterday Mr Shipton told the Mail: ‘Police wanted to know about the trip I took to Hong Kong in 2023 with David.
‘David has a huge amount of experience in politics, he has advised people like Peter Hain, he has advised various governments over the years.’
Police spent 13 hours searching Mr Shipton’s home, taking electronic devices and his passport.
It comes after parliamentary staff were warned in a letter about the ongoing risk of foreign state interference.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told staff: ‘You are a critical part of our defence against foreign state activity. The risks are not receding. We all need to take action to make Parliament and the parliamentary community more resilient to foreign state espionage and interference.’
The Labour Party said: ‘These are incredibly serious allegations. We cannot comment while the police investigation is ongoing.’
