Huawei to be stripped of role in UK's 5G network by 2027, Dowden confirms

U-turn puts Boris Johnson on collision course with Tory rebels on timing of ban

Huawei is to be stripped out of Britain's 5G phone networks by 2027, a date that puts Boris Johnson on collision course with a group of Conservative rebels who want the Chinese company eliminated quicker and more comprehensively.

Oliver Dowden, the UK culture secretary, also announced that no new Huawei 5G kit can be bought after 31 December this year - but disappointed the rebels by saying that older 2G, 3G and 4G kit can remain until it is no longer needed.