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Duke of York’s decades of playing everyone’s useful idiot – all for the good of the country – were off-limits in the Commons
At last. The full truth can be revealed. A story of self-sacrifice and public service. Of a man who has devoted his life to the nation. Heroism on a scale that was previously thought unimaginable.
For decades now, Prince Andrew has veered between being a national joke and a figure of shame. A byword for vanity, self-regard and abject stupidity. It’s quite the achievement to be thought the dimmest member of the royal family. That is a hotly contested accolade. His fall from grace has been on an epic scale. From Falklands war hero and Mummy’s favourite to total outsider. The pariah that even his brothers and sister keep at arm’s length.
Taking the Lead by John Crace is published by Little, Brown (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at . Delivery charges may apply.

Claims surrounding businessman Yang Tengbo put spotlight on whether to designate China as enhanced risk

An alleged spy who befriended Prince Andrew has been named as the businessman Yang Tengbo, amid a row at the heart of government over how to deal with influential Chinese nationals.
The allegations surrounding Yang have cast a spotlight on the government’s plans for a foreign interests register and whether to designate China as an enhanced risk in the middle of Labour’s new charm offensive towards Beijing.

Shadow home secretary calls for a rethink in relations with Beijing but Labour highlights events during Cameron’s premiership
Asked again about China, Starmer says:
Our approach is the approach I’ve just set out.
It’s important to engage. Of course, we have to challenge where we must, but it’s better to engage, to challenge, than to stay aside, as it were, important to cooperate where we can on issues like climate change, which need that cooperation.
Of course, we are concerned about the challenge that China poses.
As you know, I had a meeting with the [Chinese] president just a few weeks ago. Our approach is one of engagement, of cooperating where we need to cooperate, particularly for example on issues like climate change, to challenge where we must and where we should, particularly on issues like human rights, and to compete when it comes to trade.

Chinese businessman managed to penetrate the heart of the British establishment
How did a junior Chinese civil servant who arrived in Britain to do a master’s degree at York University end up as such a close confidant of the Duke of York that he was described as “the very top of the tree” by the prince’s adviser?
Yang Tengbo, 50, also known as Christopher Yang, was able to move in the highest circles of the British establishment. He was invited to Prince Andrew’s 60th birthday party at Royal Lodge, in Windsor, joined visits to St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle, attended a Chinese new year celebration at Downing Street with David Cameron and was pictured in black tie alongside Theresa May and her husband, Philip.

The Guardian’s Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the news that a Chinese businessman has been accused of spying. Just how widespread is state-backed espionage in Westminster, and what does it mean for the UK’s relationship with China? Plus, Angela Rayner reveals the government’s white paper on devolution. Could this be the end of the district council?

Authorities said USA Happy Baby helped several hundred women travel from China to give birth to U.S.-citizen babies between 2012 and 2015.

Prime minister ‘pleased with progress’ on ties with Beijing as Tory MPs warn of China’s attempts to infiltrate UK
Keir Starmer has defended his government’s greater openness towards Beijing following revelations about an alleged Chinese spy who forged a close relationship with Prince Andrew, saying it was “important to engage”.
Questioned for the first time about the case, amid to change his approach on China, the prime minister refused to comment directly on Andrew or the royals, but said he was pleased with what he called progress on ties with Beijing.

UK ministers face pressure over Chinese spy scandal as MPs consider naming banned businessman
An alleged Chinese spy who forged a close relationship with Prince Andrew is just “the tip of the iceberg” of Beijing’s attempts to infiltrate the UK, a leading China-sceptic MP has said.
Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader, who is seeking an urgent Commons question on Monday to quiz ministers about the issue, said Keir Starmer’s efforts to create better links with Beijing had involved the UK “showing a massive amount of weakness to China”.

In today’s newsletter: Many questions remain unanswered about the person known only as H6, but the complex relationship between China and the UK is sure to be put under the spotlight

Good morning. Espionage is an obviously mysterious business, but there can be fewer greater puzzles in the annals of national security than the one that has arisen in the last few days. If you were the mighty Chinese state, and making a list of British public figures who might hold useful intelligence or influence, what would make you put Prince Andrew on it?
I can’t answer that one. But many other questions besides have arisen since it emerged that a businessman and alleged Chinese spy with links to Andrew has been barred from entering the UK on national security grounds – and last night, that the case shows that the UK has been too eager to strengthen UK-China relations. Today’s newsletter explains what we know. Here are the headlines.
Ireland | Israel has announced , citing Dublin’s decision last week to support a petition at the international court of justice accusing Israel of genocide. Irish taoiseach Simon Harris called the move “deeply regrettable”.
Economy | Fifty economists and policy experts that encouraging the city to expand could threaten financial stability and jeopardise growth. The chancellor has claimed that regulations imposed after the global financial crisis have “gone too far”.
Extreme weather | At least after the worst cyclone in almost a century ripped through the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte on Saturday. Officials said the final toll would be hard to ascertain but could be in the thousands.
Immigration and asylum | Syrian asylum seekers left in limbo after the UK home secretary said the government was pausing their claims and urged officials to resume processing their cases. About 6,500 cases are now in the system.
Guardian and Observer charity appeal | Guardian and Observer readers gave £57,000 over the phones during our annual charity appeal telethon for and conflict, with the overall total hitting more than £500,000. You can .

Sweeping corruption crackdown is hallmark of Chinese president’s leadership, but his party remains plagued by graft, particularly within its armed forces
Chinese President Xi Jinping has said internal divisions within the ruling Communist party were inevitable but that it must “turn the knife inward” to instil discipline, in a newly disclosed call to root out corrupt officials.
The remarks were made at a meeting of the anti-graft watchdog in January, but only published in the party’s flagship policy journal Qiushi on Monday.

Guardian US business editor Dominic Rushe explains why the president-elect wants to impose tariffs on imports, and the risks it poses to the economy. Senior China correspondent Amy Hawkins talks through the potential of a wider retaliatory trade war with China.
“Tariff,” Donald Trump has said many times, “is the most beautiful word in the dictionary.”
While there are many political positions that the incoming president seems to have adopted later on in life, as the Guardian US business editor, Dominic Rushe, explains, his commitment to tariffs is long and deeply held.