Boris Johnson news: PM risks wrath of Trump by approving Huawei 5G role, as plan for Australian-style immigration system rejected
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Boris Johnson has risked the fury of Donald Trump by giving the go-ahead for Huawei to help build the UK’s 5G infrastructure – but only the “periphery of the network”, and capping the Chinese tech giant’s market share at 35 per cent.
It comes as the PM’s proposal for an Australian-style points-based immigration system for the bulk of migrants has been rejected by a government-commissioned review. It also recommended ministers lower a £30,000 salary threshold.
A new Brexit row with the EU has also emerged, with a leaked document indicating Brussels is set to demand the European Court of Justice (ECJ) enforces trade deal rules. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said the UK could “not accept” such a move.
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PM faces Tory backlash over huge 5G decision
It’s decision time. Boris Johnson is widely expected to defy the Trump administration and many of his own MPs by giving the green light to Huawei to help build part of the UK’s 5G infrastructure.
Johnson – who will confirm his decision at a meeting of the National Security Council this morning before an announcement in the Commons this afternoon – is facing a major Tory backlash on the issue.
Former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt questioned the “wisdom” of the move, former party leader Iain Duncan Smith said it was “utterly bizarre”, and former foreign affairs select committee chief Tom Tugendhat urged the PM against “nesting that dragon” and letting the “fox into the hen house”.
Ahead of a visit to London by US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, former Trump advisor Tim Morrison said it threatened the transatlantic trade deal.
“We are talking about allowing the Chinese Communist Party into the telecommunications system,” he told the BBC.
More details here:
Brexiteer attacks ‘unacceptable’ Brussels demand
A new Brexit trade row is brewing only days away from the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Brussels will reportedly attempt to gain the upper hand before trade talks start late next month by insisting European judges continue to hold sway after Brexit.
According to The Times, a leaked diplomatic document suggests the EU is preparing to demand that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is able to enforce rules on trade, fishing and security even after Britain is classified as a third country.
A document seen by the paper reportedly states that having a defined role for the Luxembourg court, which adjudicates on EU laws, would “ensure consistent interpretation of the agreement” between the UK and EU.
Staunch Brexiteer and former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith is not happy. “We have simply got to say no,” he told the newspaper. “Nobody in their right minds would accept this and if they continue to pursue this then we simply have to walk away.”
Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith (Reuters)
Labour warned against adopting ‘rejoin EU’ position
The Labour Party will find it “impossible” to win back power at the next general election without support from socially conservative voters, according to new research.
Examining Labour’s worst electoral defeat of the post-war era, the Europe for the Many report claims the December vote exposed new political divides in Britain and said the Tories built a “remarkable” alliance between traditional shires and Leave-voting towns.
It cautions against adopting a rejoin position on EU membership, and calls on Labour to concentrate on holding the Conservatives to account as the ministers attempt to thrash out a trading relationship with the bloc.
It warned: “Avoid making shallow appeals to these voters. Do not adopt insincere slogans or messages like ‘one nation Labour’ or ‘British jobs for British workers’. This is self-defeating, reinforces Tory messaging and risks eroding the Labour coalition. Focus on the economic policy offers that have support.”
All the details here:
China ‘building surveillance state’ says Tory MP
Tory MP Bob Seeley has urged Boris Johnson to think again about allowing Huawei any role in building the nation’s 5G infrastructure.
“China is building a surveillance state the kind of which the world has not seen,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “And I don’t think we’re though through what that means for the next century in terms of human freedom and data privacy.”
“We can control Facebook and we can influence Google because they’re western companies … China isn’t. And I do think there are going to be long-term concerns about the amount of leverage that comes from China.”
Fake news worse during election than Brexit vote, say whistleblower
The state of fake news on Facebook is no better now than it was at the time of the EU referendum, a Cambridge Analytica whistleblower has warned while accusing the social media giant of undermining people’s rights.
Brittany Kaiser served as business development director at the political consulting firm before it ceased operations after being accused of harvesting data from millions of Facebook profiles without permission from users.
“I saw in the last British election so much widespread usage of fake news, disinformation and even suppression campaigns that look very similar, if not worse, than what we saw in 2016,” she said.
Writing for The Independent, Kaiser said the world was facing a “democratic crisis” and that she believed “our rights are being undermined by the world’s largest communications platform – Facebook – and no one is being held accountable.”
All he details here:
‘Get Ready for Brexit’ campaign cost £46m – without making people feel prepared
Remember the time the government launched a multi-million pound publicity blitz to prepare the public for leaving the EU in way so dangerous you couldn’t possibly prepare for it?
According to the National Audit Office, £46m was spent on the “Get ready for Brexit” campaign ahead of the non-departure in October.
Gareth Davies, the head of the spending watchdog, said it was “not clear that the campaign resulted in the public being significantly better prepared”.
All the details here:
Restoring Beeching lines could help ‘millions’ of commuters, transport secretary claims
The government is going ahead with plans to reverse historical “Beeching” cuts to the railways, despite critics warning its £500m budget is not sufficient.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps is pledging to give £100,000 towards a feasibility study into reopening the train line linking the Lancashire town Fleetwood to Poulton-le-Fylde.
The Fleetwood line was shut in 1970 as part of a ripping-up of Britain’s tracks – as recommended by the Beeching Report. More than 5,000 miles of track and nearly 1,500 stations were closed between 1964 and 1970.
Another area that could benefit from the £500m fund designed to restore passenger services is Blyth, Shapps granting £1.5 million towards generating ideas for re-establishing the Ashington-Blyth-Tyne line in Northumberland.
While the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said the amount set aside was “a drop in the ocean”, Labour’s shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said it “seems designed to distract from the imminent collapse of the Northern rail franchise”.
Explaining the idea on BBC Breakfast, Shapps claimed: “There’s a potential here to reach millions of people, and that’s what we intend to do.”
Boris Johnson enjoying post-election honeymoon
The latest YouGov poll for The Times puts the Conservatives on 49 per cent – 20 points ahead of Labour.
UK free to decide about Huawei – but it’ll come at a cost
Boris Johnson is set to make clear his decision on whether to allow Huawei to play a major role in Britain’s 5G network when he chairs the National Security Council meeting this morning.
Our editorial argues, the highly “uncomfortable” decision is “an illustration of the challenges we will increasingly face after Brexit”.
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