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(UK) Government majority cut as almost 40 Tories rebel over Huawei
Source: The Guardian
Government majority cut as almost 40 Tories rebel over Huawei
Narrow victory is warning shot for No 10 which still has to legislate over Huawei’s 5G role
Dan Sabbagh
Tue 10 Mar 2020 17.45 GMT
Last modified on Tue 10 Mar 2020 21.20 GMT
Thirty-eight Tory MPs have rebelled against the government in an unsuccessful attempt to force Boris Johnson to set out a timetable for excluding Huawei from future 5G phone networks.
The government’s majority was cut to 24 as the rebels were defeated by 306 to 282 on an amendment put down by former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, amid concerns over the presence of a Chinese supplier at the heart of Britain’s digital infrastructure.
Had another 13 MPs joined the anti-Huawei revolt, Johnson would have suffered an embarrassing defeat just three months after his comprehensive success in December’s general election.
But the narrow margin of victory is a warning shot to Downing Street, which still has to legislate to implement its plan for a 35% cap on Huawei in 5G in the early summer, although 44 would be needed to have a chance of defeating the government.
-snip-
Narrow victory is warning shot for No 10 which still has to legislate over Huawei’s 5G role
Dan Sabbagh
Tue 10 Mar 2020 17.45 GMT
Last modified on Tue 10 Mar 2020 21.20 GMT
Thirty-eight Tory MPs have rebelled against the government in an unsuccessful attempt to force Boris Johnson to set out a timetable for excluding Huawei from future 5G phone networks.
The government’s majority was cut to 24 as the rebels were defeated by 306 to 282 on an amendment put down by former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, amid concerns over the presence of a Chinese supplier at the heart of Britain’s digital infrastructure.
Had another 13 MPs joined the anti-Huawei revolt, Johnson would have suffered an embarrassing defeat just three months after his comprehensive success in December’s general election.
But the narrow margin of victory is a warning shot to Downing Street, which still has to legislate to implement its plan for a 35% cap on Huawei in 5G in the early summer, although 44 would be needed to have a chance of defeating the government.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/10/government-wins-huawei-vote-despite-tory-rebellion
