Huawei banned from UK’s 5G network

The government would be right to “stand up” to China by denying Huawei access to the UK’s 5G network, the chairman of the Commons defence committee has said.

Six months after agreeing the Chinese telecoms company could set up some of the network, ministers are expected to ban it from installing equipment.

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood stated it was important to prevent “control of data” by Beijing.

But Huawei says it would not cause harm to any country.

In January, the government announced the company would be kept out of the sensitive core of the 5G network – including national intelligence – but be allowed involvement in up to 35% of other parts.

This prompted criticism from backbench Conservative MPs, who called Huawei an arm of the Chinese Communist Party and a risk to the UK. The US, with which the UK shares much of its intelligence, also applied diplomatic pressure for a rethink.

Under its revised plans, the government is expected to say Huawei will not be allowed to install any equipment for the 5G network from next year.

Conservative MP and former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called this the “right decision”, which should have been taken “a year ago”.