UK Cabinet ministers ordered to comply with Huawei leak probe

UK Cabinet ministers have been ordered to co-operate with an inquiry into a leak from a National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Tuesday that discussed Chinese telecoms firm Huawei.

Whitehall's most senior civil servant Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, has written to ministers who attended the meeting and their special advisers demanding they reveal whether they divulged the decision to the Daily Telegraph allow Huawei to help build the UK’s 5G phone network.

Five Cabinet members, all with leadership ambitions, swiftly moved to deny the allegations.

The NSC is chaired by Prime Minister Theresa May and made up of senior cabinet ministers and senior figures from the armed forces and intelligence agencies.

Calls were mounting for the culprit to be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act.

The five to deny involvement were Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Development Secretary Penny Morduant, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Trade Secretary Liam Fox.

The Guardian reported that politicians present had been deadlocked, with the decision only made after what amounted to a casting vote from the prime minister. Those who spoke against the plan argued for a blanket ban on Huawei telecoms equipment over fears the company was aiding the Chinese government to spy on the West.