SNP MP Stewart McDonald among politicians targeted in Chinese cyber-attack

Around 40 million voters’ personal details are thought to have been hacked into

The SNP’s Stewart McDonald is among a group of MPs who have been “targeted by China”.

Later today ministers will set out the details of a Chinese cyber-attack, which includes 53 MPs and peers and the Electoral Commission.

It is estimated around 40 million voters’ personal details were hacked into in the attack.

A number of politicians, including SNP MP Stewart McDonald, are thought to have been targeted in a Chinese state-sponsored cyber-attack. Image: Marek Stefunko.

The UK is now set to sanction a number of individuals who are involved in the Chinese state-backed interference in Britain’s democracy.

Glasgow South MP Stewart McDonald, who sits on the inter-parliamentary alliance on China pressure group, is one of the politicians targeted - others include former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former minister Tim Loughton and crossbench peer Lord Alton, who all also sit on this group.

The parliament’s director of security Alison Giles is also believed to have been targeted.

The MPs and peers affected are expected to make a joint statement on this later today after Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden tells the UK Parliament about the Beijing cyber-attacks.

Parliament portrait of Stewart McDonald MP.

Posting on X, Mr McDonald said he and three other named parliamentarians are intending to make an official statement after the government’s statement, and will be holding a short press conference on the matter.

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Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has also agreed to hold a last-minute meeting of the 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs where he is expected to answer questions relating to Chinese security.

Luke de Pulford, executive director of the inter-parliamentary alliance on China, told The Sunday Times: “About a year ago the Belgian and French foreign ministries publicly confirmed [Chinese state] sponsored cyber-attacks against our members.

“Other countries have done the same privately.

“Beijing has made no secret of their desire to attack foreign politicians who dare to stand up to them.”