Dowden tells the Commons:
“The responsibility of the government to ensure [the network] is as secure as it possibly can be.
“Chinese-owned venders were deemed to be high risk, and we made clear the NCSC would upate its advice…
“NCSC has significantly changed its security assessment
“To manage this risk they have issued new advice… from the end of this year telecoms operators must not buy any new 5G
Government commits to new ban on purchasing of new Huawei 5G kit from December 31st, and a ban on any Huawei infrastructure in 5G from 2027. The Cold War with China is on…
When Greg Clark asked Huawei representatives before his Science and Technology committee meeting today whether they were free to express their views, the answer was “very much so”. Chairman Clark then proceeded with the obvious follow up: “what’s your view of the new security law in Hong Kong”. Surprisingly, none of them then felt able to express a view:
Jeremy Thompson (Vice President Huawei UK): “I don’t think it would be consistent with my role with Huawei in this forum [to make a statement]”
Victor Zhang (Vice President and Chief Representative Huawei UK): “As a company we are not in a position to comment on that political agenda… I can [comment] but not at this hearing.”
Yao Wenbing (Vice President Business Developments and Partnerships): “I don’t think my personal view is of interest here to this public hearing.”
Free to say anything they like…
Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy has been making a splash in recent days with a tough line on China. Yesterday, however, she took the unusual step of publicly pouring cold water on the idea that she believed China should be excluded from building the UK’s 5G network. The confusion happened after appearing on John Pienaar’s Times Radio show…
I didn’t say this @JPonpolitics. I said the UK needed to develop home grown alternatives, a proper assessment of the national security implications and maintain constructive engagement with China as part of a more strategic approach. https://t.co/9LIK1VT1ax
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) July 1, 2020
Which is curious, because just one hour earlier, she had agreed with “No to Chinese involvement in 5G”. Listen along here…
“No to Chinese involvement in 5G, no to Chinese involvement in our nuclear energy infrastructure, and if that means a row with Beijing well then so be it?”
“Yes, but more than that, that we need to have a constructive dialogue with China.”
“This is one moment where the interests of the Chinese Government are directly pitted against the interests not only of the people of Hong Kong but of Britain as well and we have to be absolutely clear that we are going to stand firm in relation to that.”
If you’re going to deny something it’s a good idea to make sure there isn’t a recording of you saying it just an hour earlier. Why the row back?
Guido has been unable to find a single Tory MP who now expects the decision to involve Huawei in construction of the UK’s 5G network to press ahead as originally planned. There were 38 rebels on the last vote over Huawei’s involvement at the start of March. Newsnight’s Nick Watt last night told viewers that he has heard senior Tory expectations there are now “at least 68 rebels”. More than enough to wipe out the Government’s majority…
Yet Guido hears that changing tack is unlikely to need to come to a formal Parliamentary rebellion. Voices in Government, not just the Tory back benches, are increasingly pushing for a tougher line against China. The Huawei decision was already on rocky ground after the Chinese Communist Party’s Coronavirus cover-up became more widely understood. Now the country has reneged on treaty obligations and effectively annexed Hong Kong, Guido hears voices close to Boris see stepping back from Huawei as the next logical step of de-sinofication…
Vince Cable has long been a staunch advocate of greater Huawei involvement in the UK. From stepping down as Business Secretary in 2015 right up to this year he’s been busy penning op-eds talking them up and defending them in interviews. He even launched a public attack on Theresa May in 2016 over the fact that she demanded more stringent security vetting for Huawei when they were in Government together…
Luckily for Vince all that loyalty hasn’t gone unrewarded, he was happily enjoying Huawei’s hospitality at their Summer Reception in Banqueting House on Whitehall last night. Also on the guestlist were Shadow Business Minister Chi Onwurah and Labour MP Daniel Zeichner, the SNP’s Lisa Cameron and Tory peers Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Michael Bates and David Willetts who gave a speech opposing a blanket ban on Huawei 5G technology. Whether or not they’re allowed to help connect the UK’s 5G network, they’re certainly good at making connections in Parliament…
Is it too cynical of Guido to wonder if old twinkle toes is not thinking about his retirement and that perhaps a few non-executive directorships for the former Business Secretary would be in order. Given Vince’s SpAd at BEIS was Ashley Lumsden, who just so happens to now be head of Government Relations for Huawei, this is more likely than you might think. At least that way he’ll get paid for the service he is now giving Huawei for free…
Brexit is obviously the dominant issue, but these secondary issues are not unimportant either – broadcasters should be pushing the other candidates to set out their stalls on these too. Particularly given the economic stance of the leader the Tories got last time…
