Government has badly misfired in its attempt to shoot the messenger
At a time when the Tories and Labour cannot even agree on a Brexit strategy at a time of national crisis how strange that both parties should suddenly be united on the issue of launching a criminal inquiry into the Huawei leak. Wednesday’s Telegraph exclusive, revealing that Theresa May had given the green light to a Chinese telecoms giant to help build Britain’s new 5G network despite warnings from the US and some of her most senior ministers that it poses a risk to national security has dominated the headlines and
prompted outrage from MPS across the Commons.
Yesterday, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright led calls for a criminal inquiry into Tuesday’s leak from the National Security Council (NSC), while Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, Foreign Secretary, Gavin Williamson, Defence Secretary, Liam Fox, International Trade Secretary, and Penny Mordaunt, International Development Secretary, were said to have raised concerns about the PM’S approach.
It was not long before the finger of suspicion began to be pointed at the various ministers present – prompting both Williamson and Hunt to deny any involvement.
Yet, while the outrage registered in the corridors of Westminster and on the Tory MPS’ Whatsapp group is understandable, some suspect there is more to the mole hunt than a straightforward desire to restore collective responsibility in a party where discipline has all but been lost.
“This is about interpersonal rivalry,” one well-placed minister told The Daily Telegraph, pointing out that all the names that have been linked to the leak are expected to run for the leadership in the coming months.
“What this is really about is flushing out potential rivals. It’s about closing ranks.”
Revealing how MPS on the Whatsapp group were not only decrying the “sieve-like” nature of high-level ministerial meetings these days, but also the fact that Huawei might be granted the contract, one prominent Tory described feelings of “abject anger and frustration amongst colleagues”.
The Huawei decision was going to be made public anyway, so the idea that the leak somehow threatens national security has never held much water (pardon the pun).
Indeed some MPS appear grateful for the intel, but disappointed that the story has prompted yet more briefings by colleagues who appear to be putting personal ambition ahead of party unity.
The timing also could not be worse, coming when trust is at an all-time low after Tory MP and former Army officer Johnny Mercer accused Government Chief Whip Julian Smith and his deputy Chris Pincher of contacting his former military colleagues to “dig dirt” on him in a bid to persuade him to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement.
The minister said: “It’s terrible. The swell of anger reveals bottled-up frustration at our Cabinet – our leadership – who constantly leak to the press, to the point we are desensitised when it happens.
“It’s not where any of us want to be. The leaking of NSC matters was a step too far. And the Pincher stuff reflects a whips office that’s lost focus and operates on fear. A cultural change introduced when Mrs May got elected. Ultimately, the Prime Minister’s to blame. She’s lost control.”
The minister added: “The worrying thing is that the 2015-17 intake know nothing else. But it’s not the way it’s supposed to be. The irony of this leak has been lost on no one. We are trying to look like international heavyweights and boast about our intelligence capabilities and we can’t even keep a secret in Number 10. Then you have a meeting discussing the security of communications and it’s leaked out.”
Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, has now reportedly written to members of the NSC informing them that he has launched an inquiry into who leaked the information to The Telegraph.
One MP described him as being “absolutely furious”, pointing out: “He’s the one who has got to explain all this to the director of the CIA.”
Other Tories have been questioning why, when Downing Street has stood accused of actively blocking policy that it should suddenly take such a momentous decision when the party is on the verge of a change in leadership.
“Yes the leadership is to blame, but where’s the self discipline?” an MP opined. “Many see this as the final straw. I never cease to be amazed by how we Tories find ever-creative ways to p--- off our supporters and make ourselves look inept.”
In attempting to shoot the messenger, the Government once again appears to have shot itself in the foot.
‘I never cease to be amazed by how we Tories find ever-creative ways to p--- off our supporters’