China spy case gives MPs the opportunity to discuss their favourite topic: themselves | John Crace

<p>Seemingly what elevates this case to a matter of national security is that two Tory MPs were allegedly spied on</p><p>There are few things that MPs take more seriously than themselves. Their desire to put themselves front and centre of world events. Their need to imagine that everything they do makes a difference. No greater self-love hath any person than this. If they were to have a therapist, I am sure they would be having a field day. The triumph of ego over ever-diminishing quantities of self-worth.</p><p>So the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/oct/08/why-has-the-uk-dropped-its-trial-of-two-alleged-china-spies">collapse of the Chinese spy trial</a> has been a godsend to almost every opposition MP. Now, you might have thought the key components of the case were two blokes called Christopher being accused of doing the espionage. Albeit fairly basic stuff like leaking diary engagements that weren’t exactly state secrets in the first place.</p><p><em><strong><a href="https://live.theguardian.com/uk/events/1873537?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER&amp;utm_campaign=Live_event_Year_in_Westminster_2025&amp;utm_content=article_endnotes&amp;utm_term=live&amp;utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB">A year in Westminster: John Crace, Marina Hyde and Pippa Crerar</a></strong>. On Tuesday 2 December, join Crace, Hyde and Crerar as they look back with special guests at another extraordinary year, live at the Barbican in London and livestreamed globally. <a href="https://live.theguardian.com/uk/events/1873537?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER&amp;utm_campaign=Live_event_Year_in_Westminster_2025&amp;utm_content=article_endnotes&amp;utm_term=live&amp;utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB">Book tickets here</a>.</em></p><p><em>The Bonfire of the Insanities by John Crace (Guardian Faber Publishing, £16.99). To support the