BORIS Johnson’s new spin chief begged the PM’s right-hand man not to outlaw tech giant Huawei over spying fears, leaked documents show.
Guto Harri was enlisted by the Chinese firm to help them fight a ban on building Britain’s superfast 5G network.
On June 2, 2020, he met with then No10 Chief of Staff Sir Eddie Lister alongside three top executives from the Chinese Communist Party-linked company.
In the 25-minute video call, Mr Harri, representing lobbying firm Hawthorn Advisors, directly asked Sir Eddie which ministers he could “nudge” for help, according to minutes taken.
Britain’s Security Service was then conducting a review into the risk of allowing the firm into the UK’s core telecommunications network.
Sir Eddie spoke extremely candidly about the PM’s views on the firm, suggesting Mr Johnson did not want to ban them but was “caught” between pressure from the Tory party and the US Government.
He insisted: “This PM is not anti-China and is not Donald Trump.” And added the PM “believes in good relationships with China. He is not coming from a negative place in any way”.
But he admitted: “We are caught. We want the technology, we want it rolled out. There’s an American concern and a parliamentary concern.
“There are a large number of MPs across the political divide who have a problem with China. Some are Atlanticists, some over Covid, some over Hong Kong, some over human rights.”
After HOAR revealed Mr Harri’s links to Huawei yesterday, No10 defended his appointment saying he had previously “provided advice to the clients of a private company, and that is entirely legitimate”.
But the minutes show Mr Harri directly asking No10 if there were “any ministers we should talk to? Perhaps give a nudge in DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) or Treasury?”.
Downing Street insists that full security checks have already been completed on Mr Johnson’s new Director of Communications.
But ex-No10 aide Dominic Cummings warned Mr Harri should not be given full clearance to see sensitive intelligence data and “his personal mobile should be banned from No10” because of his links to the firm.
And former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a leading China-sceptic, called for further investigation.
He said: “Given the issue of the threat to national security that Huawei poses, that lay behind why Huawei have been banned from our 5G system, it is important that there is clarity in these matters.
“Will Guto Harri now be subject to full security oversight including past involvements with Huawei?”
A No 10 spokesperson said: “In full compliance with appropriate guidance, government officials met with a number of interested parties, including Huawei, following the change in US policy. “
After a technical review by the National Cyber Security Centre in response to the US sanctions the Government then banned the purchase of any new 5G Huawei equipment and is in the process of removing all Huawei equipment from 5G networks.
“The Prime Minister always acts in the best interests of the UK when dealing with China which allows us to manage disagreements, defend our values and preserve space to tackle challenges including on security.”
