British digital minister Jeremy Wright said on Thursday that Britain will be unable to ignore US pressure regarding its decision to include Chinese Telecoms company Huawei in its new 5G networks infrastructure.
Huawei has denied the accusations repeatedly and says that acting as a security threat is not consistent with its "business interests". The company has even offered to sign a “no-spy” treaty.
“They are all factors to be considered and we are considering them.”
Wright told British telecoms companies that until the government has reached a resolution, they should take “all due caution” when launching 5G services with Huawei technology.
A decision was made to restrict Huawei from core parts of the 5G network but allow limited access to non-core parts by Britain’s National Security Council, currently chaired by Prime Minister Theresa May, who hosted a meeting to discuss the Huawei issue in April.
Mrs. May’s decision to allow Huawei even peripheral access to the network was met with disapproval from intelligence chiefs and the defence and foreign secretaries, Gavin Williamson and Jeremy Hunt, on the basis that it could damage US-UK relations.
Sources claim that a final decision by senior members of the British cabinet was due to take place in recent weeks, but May’s resignation as prime minister has impeded the process. She is expected to be out of office by the end of July and it will be left to her successor to bring the matter to a conclusion.