Johnson facing Huawei Commons rebellion

BORIS Johnson is facing the prospect of his first Commons rebellion since the general election over his decision to allow Huawei a role in building the UK’s 5G network.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has tabled an amendment which would ban “high-risk vendors” like the Chinese tech giant from the network after 2022.

The move has the backing of a number of prominent Conservative MPs including former cabinet ministers Damian Green and David Davis, the chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat, and the chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady.

Supporters, however, played down the prospect that the government – which has a Commons majority of 80 – could be defeated if the amendment is called at the report stage of the Telecoms Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill in the Commons on Tuesday.

Instead, Tory backbencher Bob Seely, one of the MPs behind the move, said they were “laying down a marker” ahead of other legislation later in the year to establish a comprehensive telecoms security regime.

He said there was “growing momentum” within the party with “three or four MPs” expressing concern to the whips for everyone likely to vote for the amendment next week.

“We want to work with the government, not to defeat it. We want to cooperate with the government to get a better solution,” he told the PA news agency.

The pressure on the government is likely to increase with the announcement that the Commons Defence Committee is to set up a sub-committee specifically to look at the issue of 5G security.

The committee chairman, former defence minister Tobias Ellwood, said: “It is paramount that, as we negotiate this new technology, we ask the uncomfortable questions about the possibility of abuse.

“A decision of this magnitude must be made with eyes wide open, and we will not shy away from tackling the public’s concerns head on.”

The move reflects misgivings across Parliament, with fears that it could open up a “back door” for China to spy on the UK’s telecoms network. It has also imposed strains on relations with the United States, with Donald Trump reportedly venting his fury during a telephone call with Mr Johnson.