Huawei leak: cabinet ministers deny security breach
Investigators want to know who revealed details of this week’s National Security Council meeting
Britain’s top civil servant has written to members of the cabinet demanding to know whether they leaked information from a meeting of the National Security Council earlier this week.
Sir Mark Sedwell made the request after details of discussions about whether to allow Chinese telecoms firm Huawei to help build the UK’s 5G phone network were reported in The Daily Telegraph.
Although leaks from cabinet meetings are common, says the BBC, information from the National Security Council has never previously been made public. Several cabinet ministers have denied they were responsible for the leak.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sir Mark’s move comes at an “acutely sensitive time”, The Guardian reports, as several of the cabinet ministers present are vying to succeed Theresa May as prime minister. The Telegraph says the row has become a “proxy battleground for Tory leadership rivals” with Tory MPs hoping to use it to “kill off the leadership hopes of ministers they do not support”.
Following Tuesday's meeting, the Telegraph revealed that the NSC had agreed to allow Huawei limited access to help build Britain's new 5G network, despite warnings about possible risks to national security. Huawei has denied any involvement in spying or sabotage and rejected claims that it is controlled by the Chinese government.
Ministerial denials
Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, set off a scramble to deny responsibility for the leak yesterday, insisting said that neither he nor any of his team had disclosed details of the meeting and describing the leak as “utterly appalling”.
Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, soon followed: “Neither I nor any of my team have divulged information from the National Security Council,” he said. Aides to Penny Mordaunt, the development secretary, and Liam Fox, the trade secretary, then issued their own denials.
Sajid Javid, the home secretary, said the indiscretion was “completely unacceptable and it should be looked at”.
Former Conservative chief whip Andrew Mitchell said the security services should be called in to investigate.
Sensitive decisions
The National Security Council is comprised of senior cabinet ministers. Its weekly meetings are chaired by the prime minister, with other ministers, officials and senior figures from the armed forces and intelligence agencies sometimes invited.
There has been no official confirmation that Huawei will play a role in the 5G network. Downing Street said a final decision would be made at the end of spring.
Theresa May said: “We want to ensure we see greater resilience in our telecoms network and that we are able to provide high levels of cyber security, but we also see diversity of suppliers.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What message is Trump sending with his Cabinet picks?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION By nominating high-profile loyalists like Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr., is Trump serious about creating a functioning Cabinet, or does he have a different plan in mind?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Britain's Labour Party wins in a landslide
Speed Read The Conservatives were unseated after 14 years of rule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published