US warns UK against 'madness' of using Huawei for 5G
US officials have warned British ministers that using Huawei technology in the UK's 5G network would be "nothing short of madness".
Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacted to the warning saying that he had no intention of putting the UK infrastructure or national security at risk. He also called on critics of Huawei to suggest alternatives.
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The US deputy national security advisor, Matt Pottinger, presented the UK with new evidence of the security risks Huawei is believed to pose. While the UK is yet to make a definite decision about using technology from the Chinese company, it has been investigating the possibility of using Huawei equipment for "non-core" parts of the 5G network.
It is thought that the dossier of evidence presented to the UK is at odds with the UK's own assessment carried out by intelligence agencies.
With the UK government due to make its decision about how to proceed in the coming weeks, Boris Johnson appeared on the BBC this morning, saying of Huawei's critics: "if people oppose one brand or another then they have to tell us what's the alternative".
The US has previously warned the UK that if Huawei is involved in the country's 5G networks, intelligence sharing between the two nations could be affected. Seemingly in reference to this, the British Prime Minister said: "let's be clear, I don't want, as the UK prime minister, to put in any infrastructure that is going to prejudice our national security or our ability to cooperate with Five Eyes intelligence partners".
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