Labour has been put on blast for a “cover-up” after the trial of two alleged Chinese spies collapsed last month as Labour and the Tories feud over where accountability lies.

Speaking on GB News, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart ripped into the Government for failing to provide sufficient evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) so that the case could be pursued.

Yesterday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch launched a series of attacks on Labour for their failure to provide evidence with Mr Burghart simply giving the verdict: “There were no good answers at all.

“And this looked increasingly this looks like a dreadful c**k up and a cover-up that the Government should have given that information, these two men who’ve been arrested for spying against MPs, spying in the Houses of Parliament, against Members of Parliament who were elected by the British public.”

He further insisted that the collapse was down to Labour’s lack of cooperation with the independent judicial body.

“This is totally unacceptable and it’s time the Government put this right,” Mr Burghart fumed.

“The Government has got to come clean about why it didn’t cooperate and bring that information forward now.”

Meanwhile, Security Minister Dan Jarvis has insisted that “every effort was made” to provide evidence in the case against parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, 30, and teacher Christopher Berry, 33.

Both have denied any wrongdoing.

Sir Keir Starmer has shifted the blame to the preceding Government, and Mr Jarvis said that the CPS did not proceed with the trial as it became “hamstrung” by the “antiquated” Official Secrets Act.

The minister said it required Beijing to be dubbed a threat to national security between 2021 and 2023 – while the Tories were in power.

On Monday, MI5 issued fresh security guidance to politicians in the Houses of Parliament, as well as their employees, to protect themselves from becoming a victim of espionage.

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The agency has alerted MPs and peers alike of “odd social interactions” and to “remain alert and trust their instincts”.

But Mr Burghart did not seem taken aback at the new advice, saying: “I suspect that MI5 have long been doing this, and the Government said this yesterday like a brand-new thing.

“But I think this is the sort of thing that’s always been happening. It’s one of the reasons MI5 are there.”

He then pivoted the conversation to reiterate the need for answers – as well as reassurance – and subsequently called on Sir Keir to attend Parliament and address MPs in the Commons.

“Ultimately, he’s responsible,” he added.

Yesterday, Mr Jarvis shifted the blame onto Jonathan Powell’s deputy Matthew Collins, saying that he had been granted “full freedom to provide evidence without interference” about both men.

“This doesn’t really seem to stack up at all,” the Shadow Minister scoffed.

“It’s very, very difficult to imagine that a deputy in a case so important as this, which touches on the lives of lots of politicians who work behind me, would have been acting alone.

“So, look, we all need answers. And, fundamentally, we need reassurance that nothing like this is ever going to happen again.”