MPS to demand reduced Huawei role

Conservative rebels urge that Chinese firm has no part in infrastructure work amid claim of slave labour

MPS will today call on the Government to reduce Huawei’s involvement in the UK’S 5G infrastructure from 35 per cent to zero by 2023. A cross-party group of around 40 MPS wants Boris Johnson to rethink his controversial decision to allow the state-subsidised Chinese firm to supply more than a third of the UK’S “fifth generation” network equipment. Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative Party leader, will lead the 9.30am Westminster Hall debate.

MPS will today call on the Government to reduce Huawei’s involvement in the UK’S 5G infrastructure from 35 per cent to zero by 2023.

A cross-party group of around 40 MPS want Boris Johnson to rethink his controversial decision to allow the state-subsidised Chinese firm to supply more than a third of the UK’S “fifth generation” network equipment.

Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, will lead this morning’s 9.30am Westminster Hall debate, amid growing fears Britain’s technology could be exploited for mass surveillance by the Chinese superpower.

David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, is expected to be among the rebels, along with Damian Green, the former first secretary of state, and Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the defence select committee. The debate comes as

Bob Seely, the Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight yesterday called on BT to investigate whether using Huawei is compliant with its anti-slavery policy after an Australian think tank alleged that some of the firm’s subcontractors used forced labour from the country’s Muslim minority.

Mr Seely has written to Philip Jansen, BT’S chief executive officer, citing a study called Uyghurs For Sale by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which concluded that “under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour” Uighurs are working in the supply chain of Huawei and dozens of other global brands. Mike Pence, the US vice-president, said after the Government’s Huawei decision that the Trump administration had made its disappointment at the UK decision “very clear to them”. It was later reported that Donald Trump vented “apoplectic” fury at the Prime Minister in a tense phone call last month.

Writing for telegraph.co.uk, Mr Duncan Smith said: “It seems to many that the UK is too concerned about upsetting the Chinese and in continuing to use Huawei we are losing our friends and allies. In the week we launched our hopes for a free trade deal with the

USA, our continuing determination to use Huawei now, as President Trump makes clear, puts that trade deal at risk.

“As we leave the EU the first priority of any government remains defence of the realm.

“Yet now with Huawei embedded it’s only demi-defence of the realm. 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.”

Mr Duncan Smith and Mr Davis, along with other Tory heavyweights including former Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson and Sir Bill Cash are among rebels planning to challenge the Government not only on Huawei but HS2 and the persecution of Northern Ireland veterans.

Brexiteers Sir Bernard Jenkin, Mark Francois and Steve Baker are also thought to have an axe to grind.

One source close to the so-called “awkward squad” said: “They remain resolutely loyal to Boris but these are experienced politicians who have nothing to lose in holding the Government to account.”