Tory MP Julian Smith has been busy doing the rounds in the TV studios today, sticking the boot in to the Guardian for publishing the Snowden files. This afternoon he has a debate in Westminster Hall debate on “The Guardian newspaper and its impact on national security”. Julian clearly takes the concerns of spooks very seriously.

Apart from the time he chose to ignore parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee report on how Chinese firm Huawei – banned by the US and Australia on security grounds – was able to gain a foothold within Britain’s internet infrastructure. When BT, heavily invested in Huawei kit, was awarded the taxpayer-subsidised contract to install broadband in Smith’s constituency, he dismissed any security concerns:

“This announcement is the modern day equivalent of the coming of the railways or the introduction of canals.”

If only he’d had the chance to talk about it on telly…