Rod Liddle: UK Correspondent on Prince Andrew's latest scandal with the alleged Chinese spy

Prince Andrew seems to be standing on increasingly thin ice. 

The UK has upheld a ban of an alleged Chinese spy who formed an "unusual degree of trust" with Prince Andrew. 

The British Home Office banned the man on national security grounds in March 2023, believing the relationship could be used for political interference. 

UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Heather du Plessis-Allan that he keeps getting himself into trouble. 

He thinks it's inevitable that King Charles will cut his brother out of royal proceedings altogether. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Andrews situation, as in Prince Andrew with the Chinese
spy is obviously blowing up in the UK. Here's Dan Javis,
the UK Security Minister, speaking in the House.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
The breadth of the threats we face from foreign states
are pernicious and complex, and the work of our intelligence
agencies is unrivaled in mitigating them. As ever, they will
be pursuing those who wish to do us harm, including
those from foreign states. We support them now and always

(00:29):
in these efforts, and they will know that at any
point when the UK's national security is at risk, we
will not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal
to keep our country safe.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Rod, a little out of the UK with us now.

Speaker 3 (00:45):
Morning, Rod, Good morning, how you doing.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
I'm very well, thanks mate. Listen, do we know if
this guy actually got anything from Andrew?

Speaker 3 (00:54):
Thoughts?

Speaker 2 (00:55):
So?

Speaker 3 (00:55):
I mean, this is a problem, isn't it If you
cozy up to someone who's thick as it's easy to
gain their confidence, but rather more difficult to gain anything
of consequence from them. It is true that Andrew has
been an intermediary for British trade for the last thirty years.

(01:18):
What is less clear is how successful that work which
is supposedly done on our behalf has been basically what
it meant is that he's gone out to various desert
satraps in Arabia and played golf a lot. He seems

(01:38):
to have been a bit more connected with this guy,
I think, possibly because he saw him as any port
in a storm, that here was someone he could actually
do business with and improve his image by increasing trade
to Great Britain from China, not having the slightest suspicion
that this man might not be entirely what he said
he was. You know that the whole problem there is

(02:02):
the guy is sick as mince.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah, it does seem that way, keeps getting himself in trouble.
I mean, look, okay, so the obvious thing that's going
to happen to him is that he and Sarah are
not going to be able to do the church walking Standringham,
and it appears that that is happening already. But should
Charles not.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Just he's not allowed a stocking this year, and that
stop him. And he is not allowed a stocking, he
won't be allowed to play charades with Prince Charles, with
King Charles. You know, no, sorry, go on, but I.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Mean, yeah, it was a fair and you make the
point Rod right. The point that you're making is that
all of these punishments are just bits and pieces here
and there are slaps on the hand. I mean, does
Charles not need to just cut him out altogether, get
him out of Royal Lodge and get him out of
the eye sight.

Speaker 3 (02:49):
I think that is I think what you've suggested is inevitable.
I just don't think he can cling on. The Epstein
stuff hasn't gone away, and it and go away. The
Chinese spike business is a grave embarrassment and also actually,
from the other point of view, a problem between us

(03:11):
and China, because we do have to deal with China,
and we have to we have to deal with them
at the same time, is known that they are much
as you do, guys. I mean, you guys know this
better than we do. We need to deal with them
in a way which is productive for both of us,
but which also keeps them at arm's lengths. And you

(03:32):
know that is a difficult line to tread, and it's
not something you would ever entrust to a meet. Heead
like Prince Andrew, So I think he's I think he's
gone basically as as a as a meaningful player, as
a member of the royal family. Nobody wants him, particularly
not his brother.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
No, right, Hey, how's how's things going with the EU?
It looks like it's getting a bit hairy.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
With the What sorry I missed out that. Sorry? With
the EU, well, it's going to be a problem. There
is no doubt whatsoever that we need to improve our
relationship with the European Union. But it's also there's not
much doubt that the bad relationship was at least sixty percent,

(04:22):
I would say, a consequence of the EU being very
hostile once we've left the EU in twenty sixteen. It's
also true that we haven't made the best of our
opportunities in the world beyond the EU. You know, we
haven't really reached out to you guys and Australia in

(04:44):
the way that we should apar from on defense. You know,
we really haven't. So there is a case for improving
our relationship with the EU. If, however, and this is
I think it's a red line in the sound, red
line in the sund Do we have red lines in
the sound? Anyway? It's a line in the town if
it involves signing up to the European course of justice. No,

(05:06):
that that will provoke fury, and yet it seems to
be the way in which Saka Starbar is going.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
Hi, Rod, it is good to talk to you mate.
I really appreciate you. Look after yourself. And there's Rod Little,
a UK correspondent. For more from the mic Asking Breakfast,
listen live to news talks.

Speaker 2 (05:23):
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