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| Boris Johnson faces backlash from Tory MPs over plan to give Huawei role in building 5G network – live news | Boris Johnson faces backlash from Tory MPs over plan to give Huawei role in building 5G network – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen |
| This is the afternoon when Boris Johnson’s post-election honeymoon came to an end. The Conservative backlash over his proposed decision to allow Huawei a role in building the UK’s 5G network does not mean that Johnson faces any sort of immediate risk in the Commons. The Huawei decision is not one that will have to be put to a vote and, even if it were, he has a majority of 80-plus (the exact figure depends how you count it). | |
| But until now he has encountered virtually no opposition from his own MPs in parliament on anything. This afternoon that all changed, as one Tory MP after another stood up to question the wisdom of giving Huawei even a limited role in the 5G network. | |
| And it was not just the usual foreign policy hawks who were sounding off on this. There were mainstream loyalists expressing concern too, like Damian Green, the former first secretary of state, Damian Collins, the former culture committee chair, and Tim Loughton, the former first minister. | |
| In one sense this just marks the return of normal politics. But it is unusual to hear a minister receive so little support from the government backbenches during an urgent question like this. Johnson should be at least a bit concerned - not least because Iain Duncan Smith implied that Johnson is breaking a promise made in private to Tory MPs on this matter. | |
| Here are some of the quotes from Tory MPs during the Huawei UQ. | |
| From Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader and former cabinet minister | |
| From Bob Seely | |
| From Owen Paterson, the former Tory cabinet minister | |
| From Andrew Bridgen | |
| From Tim Loughton, a former children’s minister | |
| Ed Conway, Sky’s economics editor, has posted a good thread on Twitter about why the Huawei/5G decision is so important. | Ed Conway, Sky’s economics editor, has posted a good thread on Twitter about why the Huawei/5G decision is so important. |
| During work and pensions questions earlier Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, said the government would continue with the so-called bedroom tax, the policy that reduces housing benefit payments for claimants with spare room. | During work and pensions questions earlier Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, said the government would continue with the so-called bedroom tax, the policy that reduces housing benefit payments for claimants with spare room. |
| In response to a question from the SNP’s Martyn Day, who said the Scottish government was spending £50m a year reversing the impact of the policy in Scotland, she said the policy was an “important part” of changes in housing policy in order to tackle homelessness. She went on: “I absolutely think that we will continue with that policy.” | In response to a question from the SNP’s Martyn Day, who said the Scottish government was spending £50m a year reversing the impact of the policy in Scotland, she said the policy was an “important part” of changes in housing policy in order to tackle homelessness. She went on: “I absolutely think that we will continue with that policy.” |
| The Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney is now asking an urgent question about the police use of live facial recognition technology. | The Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney is now asking an urgent question about the police use of live facial recognition technology. |
| Kit Malthouse, the Home Office minister, says the use of this technology, which involves looking for particular suspects, mirrors the use of existing police techniques (such as the use of “spotters” in crowds). He says when the police use this technology, they have to follow certain rules. They are looking for people on watch lists. He says data about people not on these list is not kept. And he says the police need his permission to use this technology. | Kit Malthouse, the Home Office minister, says the use of this technology, which involves looking for particular suspects, mirrors the use of existing police techniques (such as the use of “spotters” in crowds). He says when the police use this technology, they have to follow certain rules. They are looking for people on watch lists. He says data about people not on these list is not kept. And he says the police need his permission to use this technology. |
| Olney says 93% of matches using this technology have been shown to be wrong. And he says the technology is more likely to make mistakes with women or minority ethnic people. She asks what ministers are doing to address these concerns. | Olney says 93% of matches using this technology have been shown to be wrong. And he says the technology is more likely to make mistakes with women or minority ethnic people. She asks what ministers are doing to address these concerns. |
| Malthouse is responding to Olney. He says the Metropolitan police has not found a disproportionality problem with this technology. Many democratic institutions are looking at this issue, he says. And he says the Met will be publishing information about when this is used, and what their success rate is. | Malthouse is responding to Olney. He says the Metropolitan police has not found a disproportionality problem with this technology. Many democratic institutions are looking at this issue, he says. And he says the Met will be publishing information about when this is used, and what their success rate is. |
| Tim Loughton, a Conservative, asks what is the downside of shopping around for a low-risk vendor from a country that could be called an ally. | Tim Loughton, a Conservative, asks what is the downside of shopping around for a low-risk vendor from a country that could be called an ally. |
| Warman says there are not as many vendors of this kit as we would like. | Warman says there are not as many vendors of this kit as we would like. |
| But he says Loughton is right to say the long-term consequences must be considered. | But he says Loughton is right to say the long-term consequences must be considered. |
| Andrew Bridgen, a Tory, says however cheap the Huawei technology is, that would not be worth jeopardising the UK’s place in the five eyes intelligence network. | Andrew Bridgen, a Tory, says however cheap the Huawei technology is, that would not be worth jeopardising the UK’s place in the five eyes intelligence network. |
| Warman says these intelligence considerations will be at the top of the list of priorities when this decision is being taken. | Warman says these intelligence considerations will be at the top of the list of priorities when this decision is being taken. |
| Labour’s Geraint Davies says it does not seem right to be important technology used for mass control in China. | Labour’s Geraint Davies says it does not seem right to be important technology used for mass control in China. |
| Damian Green, the Conservative former first secretary of state, asks if the UK still has the capacity to provide large chunks of its own telecoms infrastructure. | Damian Green, the Conservative former first secretary of state, asks if the UK still has the capacity to provide large chunks of its own telecoms infrastructure. |
| Warman says it is important that the UK has this capacity. The government is investing to improve it, he says. | Warman says it is important that the UK has this capacity. The government is investing to improve it, he says. |
| The SNP’s Martin Docherty-Hughes says this session is like an unofficial hustings for the chairmanship of the foreign affairs committee. | The SNP’s Martin Docherty-Hughes says this session is like an unofficial hustings for the chairmanship of the foreign affairs committee. |
| Crispin Blunt, Bob Seely and Tom Tugendhat are all standing for the post. The election is on Wednesday. | Crispin Blunt, Bob Seely and Tom Tugendhat are all standing for the post. The election is on Wednesday. |
| Damian Collins, the Tory MP who chaired the culture committee in the last parliament, asks why Huawei is being considered for 5G when there are concerns about the work it has already done on 4G. | Damian Collins, the Tory MP who chaired the culture committee in the last parliament, asks why Huawei is being considered for 5G when there are concerns about the work it has already done on 4G. |
| Warman says these are issues that will be taken into account. | Warman says these are issues that will be taken into account. |
| Labour’s Chris Bryant says Huawei has been engaged in state sponsored espionage. He says it would not be an appropriate partner. | Labour’s Chris Bryant says Huawei has been engaged in state sponsored espionage. He says it would not be an appropriate partner. |
| Warman says the government is aware of these concerns. | Warman says the government is aware of these concerns. |
| Owen Paterson, the former Tory cabinet government, says he finds this decision extraordinary. He asks why the government is considering taking this risk. | Owen Paterson, the former Tory cabinet government, says he finds this decision extraordinary. He asks why the government is considering taking this risk. |
| This is from Nick Timothy, who was co-chief of staff to Theresa May when she was home secretary and when she was PM until the 2017 general election. | This is from Nick Timothy, who was co-chief of staff to Theresa May when she was home secretary and when she was PM until the 2017 general election. |