Boris Johnson faces the first Tory revolt of his premiership as furious backbench MPs try to force his government to shut Huawei out of the UK’s 5G communications network
- Furious MPs back amending law allowing the Chinese tech giant access to 5G
- It would potential limit the company’s involvement to just the next two years
- PM has been urged by a former CBI president to allow Huawei to work freely
- Huawei advisor Mike Rake said limiting access risked harm relations with China
Boris Johnson faces the first major Tory rebellion of his time as Prime Minister today over his decision to Huawei to work on the UK’s 5G network.
More than two dozen furious Conservative backbenchers are backing an amendment to a law allowing the Chinese tech giant to work on the system when it comes to the Commons today.
The Prime Minister has already sparked fury from the US by announcing that the company will be allowed a limited role in Britain’s communications upgrade, despite allegations it is involved in espionage.
Now MPs including former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and ex-Brexit secretary David Davis will attempt to drastically limit the firm’s involvement.
They have tabled an amendment to the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill, which is due to face a vote in the Commons this afternoon.
If chosen and successful it would block ‘high risk vendors’ as determined by the National Cyber Security Centre from involvement in 5G from 2022.
But at the same time Mr Johnson has been urged by a former CBI president to allow Huawei to work freely, saying blocking it would harm relations with China.
In an open letter Sir Mike Rake, the former BT chairman, who is now an adviser to the Chinese firm, said: ‘Any attempt to further restrict Huawei 5G equipment, or to remove existing 4G equipment will not only incur very significant costs, but prejudice trade relationships with China and will significantly set back the Government’s broadband ambitions.
MPs including former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and ex-Brexit secretary David Davis will attempt to drastically limit the firm’s involvement in 5G
The Prime Minister has already sparked fury from the US by announcing that the company will be allowed a limited role in Britain’s communications upgrade, despite allegations it is involved in espionage.
‘This in turn will further damage our competitiveness as an economy, at what is a critical moment.
We cannot afford to set back the important technological and communication progress we have made, with ill-informed assertions which are not supported by the facts and the experts.
‘The government has taken an evidence-based decision and we should all support it.
Mr Johnson gave the go-ahead for the company to help build 5G in January, despite concerns by allies including the US.
Sir Mike Rake, the former BT chairman who is now an adviser to the Chinese firm, said: ‘Any attempt to further restrict Huawei 5G equipment, or to remove existing 4G equipment will not only incur very significant costs, but prejudice trade relationships with China and will significantly set back the Government’s broadband ambitions’
The Trump administration is furious that a company it believes is a security risk has been approved for a role in the advanced telecommunications network.
It will be subject to tough restrictions, such as being barred from the ‘core’ network and a maximum 35 per cent market share.
Despite a relatively muted response in public, Mr Trump was said to have been ‘apoplectic’ with anger in a phone call to Mr Johnson.
But the PM and his ministers have claimed there is no viable alternatives to their technology on the market and developing a home-grown version would be expensive and delay the roll-out.
Other MPs backing the amendment include former minister Owen Paterson, Damian Green, Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Tom Tugendhat, and hardline Brexiteers Mark Francois and David Jones.
While there are 26 signatories, 41 rebels are required to approve the amendment. MPs are understood not to be sure they can get that number, but are content to hand the PM a minor bloody nose over the issue at this stage.