THE US Secretary of State humiliated Theresa May by insisting Margaret Thatcher would never have allowed Huawei a role in the UK’s communications network.
Mike Pompeo turned the screw on the PM over her decision to let the Chinese telecoms giant build some of our new 5G network.
PA:Press Association
It came as America’s foreign affairs supremo appealed to the Government to take a tougher line with China in general.
He told a think tank lecture named after the former Tory Premier: “Ask yourself this: would the Iron Lady have allowed China to control the internet of the future?
“I know it’s a sensitive topic, but we have to talk about sensitive things as friends.
The Chinese Government can rightfully demand access to data flowing through Huawei systems.
“Why would anyone grant such power to a regime that has already grossly violated cyber space?”
Mr Pompeo also issued a thinly veiled warning that America may be forced to withhold secrets from London, as well as scale back investment and military cooperation.
He also told the Centre for Policy Studies: “Insufficient security will impede the United States’ ability to share sensitive information with trusted networks.
“This is exactly what China wants: to defy Western alliances with bits and bytes, not bullets and bombs.”
Why would anyone grant such power to a regime that has already grossly violated cyber space?
Mike Pompeo
The US Secretary of State – one of President Donald Trump’s most trusted Cabinet members – fired the broadside during his first visit to London in the job, where he held talks with Mrs May and Jeremy Hunt.
In a second attack, Mr Pompeo also slammed Cabinet ministers for refusing to take back jihadi fighters captured in Syria.
Instead of jailing the former ISIS fighters in the UK, the government has stripped many of their UK passports.
But Mr Pompeo insisted: “We must make sure our children and grandchildren don’t have to fight those exact same terrorists again.”
Mrs May was forced to defend the decision, leaked two weeks ago, that the firm would build some non-critical antennae and masts.
She told MPs: “The UK is not considering any options that would put our national security communications at risk, either within the UK or with our closest allies.
“No-one takes national security more seriously than I do… I think my record speaks for itself.”
Mr Pompeo spoke to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, and ahead of Mr Trump’s state visit next month.
Reuters
PA:Press Association
