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Chinese Spy Suspect in Labour Donor Club Had Access to Top MPs

A former Labour adviser arrested on espionage charges was a member of the elite Rose Network that gave donors direct access to senior ministers and frontbench politicians.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe Staff Writer

AUGUST 13, 2026 AT 12:42 PM

David Taylor, who was detained in March on suspicion of espionage activities on behalf of Chinese intelligence services, belonged to Labour’s Rose Network before his suspension from the party. The 39-year-old is married to Labour MP Joani Reid, who represents East Kilbride and Strathaven in Parliament.

Taylor has strongly denied all allegations and remains on bail while under investigation by the Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism unit.

Elite Access to Senior Politicians

The Rose Network, originally created by former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair under the name Thousand Club, functions as a vehicle to cultivate relationships between wealthy business donors and the Labour leadership. The network specifically targets financial figures from the City of London as potential party benefactors.

According to Labour’s official website, members of the Rose Network receive invitations to exclusive events including presentations, discussion forums, receptions, and question-and-answer sessions with party officials. In reality, these gatherings frequently take the form of private dinners and champagne receptions where donors interact directly with government ministers and opposition frontbenchers.

Financial Scrutiny of Donations

An internal Labour investigation has examined a donation Taylor made to his wife just one month before his arrest. Electoral Commission records show that Earthcott Ltd, a company operated by Taylor, provided a non-cash contribution valued at £2,400 to Reid for media training purposes.

Companies House filings from 2023 reveal that two businesses run by Taylor were owed thousands of pounds by Reid Strategy Limited, a company owned by the Labour MP.

Taylor strongly denies all allegations related to foreign intelligence activities. The investigation remains ongoing.

With information from GB News

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe

She was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the granddaughter of an immigrant from Crete who settled in the Greek community of Johannesburg (one of the largest in Africa). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and a master’s degree in Journalism from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. She began her career at English-language media outlets in Johannesburg, covering politics and economics, with a focus on issues related to migration and the diaspora. She moved to Athens in 2015 to “return to her roots,” initially to pursue graduate studies, and has remained there permanently. She is married to an Afrikaner; they have two children and live in the southern suburbs of Athens.