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| Boris Johnson faces backlash from Tory MPs over plan to give Huawei role in building 5G network – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happened | |
| Boris Johnson has suggested he will arrive at a compromise solution over the decision on whether to let the Chinese company Huawei build parts of the UK’s 5G network in the face of US warnings that it will compromise intelligence-sharing. In the Commons a large number of Conservative MPs have expressed strong opposition to this prospect, saying Huawei should be totally excluded from the 5G network. (See 5.14pm.) | |
| Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach (PM), has suggested the UK will fail to get a trade deal allowing its banks access to the EU’s financial services market unless it agrees to let EU boats carry on fishing in its waters. (See 10.18am.) Downing Street has not ruled out using fishing as a bargaining chip in the trade talks in this manner. (See 11.24am.) | |
| The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, have warned that a united bloc – “team 27” – will give the UK a stark challenge in the next phase of Brexit negotiations. | |
| Boris Johnson has appointed David Frost, his chief Europe adviser, to lead trade negotiations with the EU on his behalf, with no apparent role for Liz Truss, the trade secretary. | |
| Nicola Sturgeon has called for Scotland to have its own visa and immigration strategy to deal with the country’s falling birth rate and the impacts of Brexit. | |
| Any attempt by the British government to seek full access to European markets without alignment was “absurd” and would be voted down, one of Emmanuel Macron’s top allies in the European parliament has said. | |
| Gimmicky policies, horrible inefficiency and factional promotions are among the catalogue of errors behind Labour’s dismal performance at the general election, according to party members. | |
| The former chancellor Philip Hammond has taken his second job since quitting frontline politics last year, joining the British business bank OakNorth as an adviser. | |
| That’s all from me for today. | |
| Thanks for the comments. | |
| 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). | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader and former cabinet minister |
| From Bob Seely | From Bob Seely |
| From Owen Paterson, the former Tory cabinet minister | From Owen Paterson, the former Tory cabinet minister |
| From Andrew Bridgen | From Andrew Bridgen |
| From Tim Loughton, a former children’s minister | 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. |