Boris Johnson survives rebellion over ‘high-risk’ Huawei

The UK government has narrowly defeated an attempt by some of its own MPs to ban Huawei from parts of Britain’s 5G network.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Picture: AFP

Boris Johnson’s Conservative government has narrowly defeated an attempt led by some of its own MPs to ban China’s Huawei from building part of Britain’s high-speed telecommunications network.

Three dozen Conservative MPs backed a call to bar “high-risk” firms from any involvement in the network after 2022.

The move, which came in an amendment to a telecoms bill, was defeated by 306 votes to 282 in the House of Commons, where the Conservatives have an 80-seat majority. Thirty-six Tories ­rebelled.

Britain angered the US when it announced in January it would let Huawei supply parts of its next-generation cellular networks, known as 5G. The US has banned Huawei as a security risk, claiming it could give the Chinese government access to data, and has threatened to sever intelligence-sharing with countries that don’t follow suit. Huawei denies China uses its equipment for spying.

Mr Johnson’s government ­insists it can manage any risk ­Huawei poses. It says “high-risk” companies such as Huawei will be barred from supplying the sensitive “core” parts of the new networks. But Britain will allow high-risk suppliers to provide up to 35 per cent of a carrier’s less risky radio network.

Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith, who helped draft the amendment, noted that other key British allies such as Australia had also barred Huawei over security fears.

“How is it that we are right and everybody else is wrong?” he said. “The reality is that we are alone in this matter.”

The Conservative rebellion increases pressure on the government to limit Huawei’s role when it introduces legislation on telecoms security later this year.

Huawei vice-president Victor Zhang said he was “disappointed to hear some groundless accusations asserted” during the debate.

AP