MPs urge Johnson to ditch Huawei deal
MPs will today urge the government to drop Huawei’s involvement with the UK’s 5G network, amid growing concerns surrounding the Chinese firm.
A cross-party group of around 40 MPs will today call on the Prime Minister to pedal back on his controversial decision to grant the Chinese state-subsidised firm permission to supply equipment to more than a third of the UK’s 5G network.
Boris Johnson’s decision courted heavy criticism from the US, with President Donald Trump reportedly venting “apoplectic fury” to the PM in a tense phone call last month.
Writing in today’s Telegraph, former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: “The only way out of this mess is that the government should accept we are deeply compromised and ensure that Huawei goes from its present position to not just 35 per cent but to zero per cent involvement over the next two to three years.”
Duncan Smith is set to lead talks between MPs in today’s Westminster Hall debate amid growing concern that Britain’s networks could be exploited for surveillance by the Chinese state.
“As we leave the EU the first priority of any government remains defence of the realm. Yet now with Huawei embedded, it is only demi-defence of the realm,” Duncan Smith added.
The Telegraph reported that fellow Tory heavyweights David Davis, Damian Green, Tobias Ellwood, Owen Paterson and Sir Bill Cash are expected to be among the MPs challenging the government on its Huawei decision.
Last month, Davis, the former Brexit secretary, denounced Johnson’s Huawei contract as the “worst intelligence decision since MI6’s recruitment of Kim Philby”, referring to the Soviet double agent.
Brexiters Mark Francois, Steve Baker and Sir Bernard Jenkin are also thought to be among rebel MPs ready to rear their heads in Huawei opposition talks.
The fresh criticism comes after Conservative MP Bob Seeley yesterday called on BT to probe claims by an Australian think tank that Huawei is violating anti-slavery policies in its equipment production.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute alleged that Huawei’s subcontractors — largely made up of workers from China’s minority Uighur population — are working “under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour”.
In a letter to chief executive Philip Jansen, Seeley urged BT to investigate whether the company’s use of Huawei equipment within the UK 5G network is compliant with BT’s anti-slavery policy.
BT, whose modern slavery statement maintains that it is “against all forms of modern slavery, everywhere,” has said it has already entered discussions with Huawei following the allegations.
Seeley is expected to raise the issue in Westminster Hall today.
Main image: Getty