Boris Johnson will beat his backbench rebels on Huawei this time – but anger could increase

An amendment is expected to be tabled on the telecommunications infrastructure (leasehold) bill which aims to ban the Chinese network technology giant by 2022.

So far, 26 Conservative MPs have put their names on the amendment in a strong signal of anger over the government's decision to continue using Huawei to provide ultra-fast mobile and broadband connectivity .

While the backcountry rebellion is far below the 41 Conservative votes needed to defeat the government, the rebel group includes a wide variety of backbenches, including Iain Duncan Smith, Damian Green , Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat and the Conservative Rear Guard 1922 Chairman of the committee, Sir Graham Brady.

Dissenters are well aware that their chances of overturning the government's decision are limited, but they see Tuesday's vote as the first real blows in an ongoing battle against the use of Huawei.

Prime Minister's decision to give Huawei the green light has resulted in a dramatic deterioration in White House-Downing Street relations, prompting the United States to warn that it may refuse to share information with the United States. Future.

It is feared that the presence of Huaweis in supplying part of the system could give China a "back door" to spy on the British telecommunications network.

Conservative MP Bob Seely, who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and leads the rebellion, warned that the UK could become nationally dependent on what it described as a Chinese front organization to provide its 5G network. within three years.

There are now calls to remove Huawei from UK networks and hand over contracts to more western companies, such as the Scandinavian companies Nokia and Ericsson or South Korea Samsung.

Mr Seely said he was talking on Downing Street and wanted to be cooperative and supportive, but he warned: if we think the government is doing something wrong, we have a duty to say it.

In the meantime, Sir Mike Rake, former president of BT and adviser to Huawei, has warned the government against the exclusion of the Chinese firm at the risk of considerably delaying its ambitions to extend the top flow across the country.

It is clear, however, that the discontent in the back seats has the potential to become something bigger. Mr. Johnson may survive this battle, but he could lose the war against Huawei.