Security sources have criticised Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for allegedly prioritising closer economic and climate ties with China over the country’s security risks. They argue that Britain’s dependence on Chinese technology, particularly solar panels, could give Beijing strategic leverage amid concerns about cyber-attacks, espionage and potential threats to critical infrastructure.

China supplies more than two thirds of Britain’s solar panels, while about 40 per cent of polysilicon used in panels reportedly comes from Xinjiang, where forced labour has been documented. Former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove warned that dependence on Chinese technology could expose the National Grid to disruption, while Tony Blair criticised Labour’s Net Zero targets as economically damaging; there is no evidence linking China to fires involving solar panels.