DONALD Trump’s man in London last night warned that allowing Chinese tech giant Huawei to build parts of Britain’s 5G network would be like “putting a kleptomaniac” into your house.
US Ambassador Woody Johnson used the analogy to raise the stakes in the ongoing transatlantic row over the role of Huawei in building sensitive national infrastructure.
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It is the latest in a series of high level attacks from the Americans on Theresa May‘s proposals to give the company access to “non-core” parts of the new UK network.
He warned against “letting untrustworthy countries” into the infrastructure.
Mr Johnson also appeared to back down on an earlier claim that the health service could play a part of a post-Brexit trade deal.
Referencing the “5G question we are all wrestling with right now”, the Donald Trump ally said: “This is something which we’ve discussed a lot and it’s very important.
“If you let untrustworthy countries in the heart of our economics and infrastructure, what could they do when inside them? I’ve always said it’s like letting a kleptomaniac move into your house.
“And then you’ve got to hire three people to follow them around all day and see how that works – it’s not a very good situation, maybe that’s unfair in some ways but I think it’s one way to look at it.”
Mr Johnson was subject to fierce rebukes early this month when he said the UK’s “entire economy” – including the health service – would be part of a post-Brexit trade deal.
‘NOT A VERY GOOD SITUATION’
But speaking at a London conference for the Centre of Policy Studies centre-right think tank, he praised the UK’s enduring strength.
“I’ve heard some people say that’s naive. They suggest countries like America will bully Britain into a pre-negotiation and a trade negotiation,” he said.
“They even claim that we will privatise the NHS. None of that’s correct. I promise you that.
“First, nobody can push Britain around. Britain is a tough country. More than capable of negotiating a deal that protects its own interests.”
“Second,” he continued, “Britain’s success is America’s success. The UK is our strongest partner and we want to keep it that way.”
He also sought to allay fears of chlorine-washed chicken entering the UK market if a trade deal is brokered, praising the US for thinking “the customer is king”.
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The practice is banned in the EU, and critics say the process can be used to correct poorer hygiene standards earlier in the production process.
Mr Johnson said: “Our customers are smart, they know what they want and they are capable of making their own decisions. If they don’t like something they simply don’t buy it.
“British customers are the same, so let them make their own choices.”
