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| Huawei decision 'like allowing KGB to build UK phone network' in cold war, says US senator - 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 |
| The UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has defended the government’s decision to allow the Chinese tech firm Huawei to build non-core elements of the UK’s 5G network, despite designating it a “high-risk vendor”. He was speaking in the House of Commons, where many senior Conservatives expressed reservations about the announcement - although with less vehemence than yesterday, when some MPs may have thought they had a still had a chance of getting the government to change its mind. | |
| Leading Republicans in Washington have criticised the government’s decision. Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, said it amounted to a “major defeat” for the US. (See 12.38pm.) Tom Cotton, a Republican senator, described the decision as like allowing the KGB to build the UK’s telephone network during the cold war. (See 3.29pm.) Administration officials said they were “disappointed” by the move. (See 1.52pm.) But President Trump has not yet commented on it personally. He has been tweeting today, but not on this. | |
| The independent migration advisory committee has rejected a full shift to an Australian points-based system, publishing detailed research which gives a picture of how a reformed immigration system might look after Brexit and the ending of freedom of movement for EU nationals. | |
| Negotiations on the UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the EU will start on 3 March, more than a month after the UK’s departure from the bloc, the Guardian can reveal. | |
| Sir Keir Starmer, the favourite in the Labour leadership contest, has said that if the SNP wins next year’s Holyrood elections, they will have a mandate to hold a second independence referendum. He was speaking on a visit to the Scottish parliament where he also said: | |
| Boris Johnson’s government spent £46m on a “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign in October, but demonstrated little evidence it left the public better prepared, Whitehall’s spending watchdog has found. | |
| The Scottish government failed to properly monitor and evaluate billions of pounds’ worth of privately financed contracts to build roads, schools and hospitals, two public spending watchdogs have said. | |
| That’s all from me for today. | |
| Thanks for the comments. | |
| Mark Warner, the US senator and the ranking Democrat on the senate intelligence committee, has put out this statement about the UK’s Huawei/5G decision. | |
| From my colleague Dan Sabbagh | From my colleague Dan Sabbagh |
| From my colleague Heather Stewart | From my colleague Heather Stewart |
| Jonathan Djanogly, a Conservative, says if there is a security breach, Huawei should have to pay the cost of having its own equipment replaced. | Jonathan Djanogly, a Conservative, says if there is a security breach, Huawei should have to pay the cost of having its own equipment replaced. |
| Raab says that in those circumstances a criminal offence would have been committed, not just a breach of contract. | Raab says that in those circumstances a criminal offence would have been committed, not just a breach of contract. |
| Richard Drax, a Conservative, says he is “baffled” by this decision. He says he does not think there is a distinction between core and periphery in 5G. | Richard Drax, a Conservative, says he is “baffled” by this decision. He says he does not think there is a distinction between core and periphery in 5G. |
| Raab says he does not agree. He says there is a difference. | Raab says he does not agree. He says there is a difference. |
| (That is what the National Cyber Security Centre says too. See 2.58pm.) | (That is what the National Cyber Security Centre says too. See 2.58pm.) |
| Raab says there was a risk that banning Huawei could trigger trade retaliation. But that is not why this decision was taken, he says. | Raab says there was a risk that banning Huawei could trigger trade retaliation. But that is not why this decision was taken, he says. |
| Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative, says he does not necessarily welcome the decision, but he understands it. He says the government should set up a review to see what lessons can be learnt. | Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative, says he does not necessarily welcome the decision, but he understands it. He says the government should set up a review to see what lessons can be learnt. |
| Raab says this has been a failure of government, and of Western governments. He says the government has set out plans to ensure that it does not find itself in this position again. | Raab says this has been a failure of government, and of Western governments. He says the government has set out plans to ensure that it does not find itself in this position again. |
| President Trump has sent out his first tweets of the day. But he is not saying anything about Huawei (so far). Instead he is complaining about Fox News being biased against him ... | President Trump has sent out his first tweets of the day. But he is not saying anything about Huawei (so far). Instead he is complaining about Fox News being biased against him ... |
| Crispin Blunt, another Tory former chair of the foreign affairs committee, says the intelligence and security committee should consider this issue. And he says the government should tell the Chinese they expect reciprocity. | Crispin Blunt, another Tory former chair of the foreign affairs committee, says the intelligence and security committee should consider this issue. And he says the government should tell the Chinese they expect reciprocity. |
| Raab says that is an important point about the relationship with China. | Raab says that is an important point about the relationship with China. |
| Tom Tugendhat, the Tory MP who chaired the foreign affairs committee in the last parliament, asks if the 35% cap covers the new market, or the existing market. | Tom Tugendhat, the Tory MP who chaired the foreign affairs committee in the last parliament, asks if the 35% cap covers the new market, or the existing market. |
| Raab says the government papers explain how the 35% cap works. It is roughly equivalent to existing market share, he says. | Raab says the government papers explain how the 35% cap works. It is roughly equivalent to existing market share, he says. |
| Labour’s Barry Sheerman says there are businesses who think their intellectual property is being stolen by the Chinese every time they put it on the internet. | Labour’s Barry Sheerman says there are businesses who think their intellectual property is being stolen by the Chinese every time they put it on the internet. |
| Bob Seely, a Conservative, asks for an assurance that MPs will be able to debate on what constitutes a high-risk vendor. And he says non trusted vendors should be built out of the system. | Bob Seely, a Conservative, asks for an assurance that MPs will be able to debate on what constitutes a high-risk vendor. And he says non trusted vendors should be built out of the system. |
| Raab says there is already a definition of a high-risk vendor. | Raab says there is already a definition of a high-risk vendor. |