** BREAKING**
Ministers are so worried about a potential Government defeat in the House of Commons tomorrow over Boris Johnson's decision to allow Chinese telecoms company Huawei into the UK’s 5G network that they arranged for Tory MPs to have briefings with GCHQ today. 1/6
Ministers are so worried about a potential Government defeat in the House of Commons tomorrow over Boris Johnson's decision to allow Chinese telecoms company Huawei into the UK’s 5G network that they arranged for Tory MPs to have briefings with GCHQ today. 1/6
The briefing was organised for MPs by a senior official from the National Cyber Security Centre at 3pm today ahead of the vote. Ministers also toured the tea room earlier today urging Tory MPs not to rebel. 2/6
One rebel Tory says that at least 20 and as many as 40 Conservative MPs will vote against the Government on Tuesday. The rebellion could be enough to defeat the Government’s 80 seat majority, although this is unlikely.
One rebel tells me this is "an outside possibility". 3/6
One rebel tells me this is "an outside possibility". 3/6
Rebels already Include former leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, and former Cabinet minister David Davis. They are backing the amendment to the Telecommunications Infrastructure Leasehold Property Bill. 4/6
Another surprise rebel is likely to be @LiamFox. He tells me: "You should not be trying to mitigate a risk when you can avoid the risk itself. As a former defence secretary I cannot in conscience vote for something that I believe puts our national security at risk." 5/6
The amendment would force the Government to cut the reliance on Huawei to zero by December 31, 2022.
The expected vote is the first chance for Conservative MPs to make their feelings known in the Commons on the Huawei decision. 6/6
The expected vote is the first chance for Conservative MPs to make their feelings known in the Commons on the Huawei decision. 6/6
