Boris Johnson announced his decision during a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday to grant permission for the Chinese technology giant to have involvement in the roll-out of the country’s communications upgrade. Bringing in 5G is expected to bring with it download speeds 10 times faster than what 4G currently offers. But the plans have caused trans-Atlantic tension, after the White House warned Mr Johnson away from adopting Huawei due to security fears.

And now the Brexit Party leader Mr Farage has warned Mr Johnson too.

He wrote in the Telegraph: “I cannot say for certain that the signing of a deal for 5G with the Chinese would kill off hopes of a US trade deal, but it certainly won’t help.

“Boris Johnson’s decision tomorrow on whether to grant the Chinese tech giant Huawei access to Britain’s new 5G system will tell us more about this administration than any other he is likely to make.

“It is perhaps understandable that every British prime minister since Tony Blair has seen the rise of China as an opportunity for the UK economy.

“But what is astonishing is the extent to which members of the establishment have become so intertwined with Chinese businesses, usually for personal gain, that legitimate concerns about our sovereignty and national security have been ignored.”

A number of senior Conservative MPs also voiced concerns during an urgent question in the House of Commons on Monday.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan-Smith said it was “utterly bizarre” to be considering giving Huawei the green light, while Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee in the last parliament, warned that the UK would be “allowing the fox into the hen house” if it gives the company 5G access.

Mr Johnson stressed on Monday that he would not “jeopardise” the UK’s security relationship with the US.

This came after senior members of Mr Trump’s administration warned that British sovereignty would be put at risk by allowing the firm to play a role in the UK’s 5G infrastructure.

They warned that the Chinese state could put pressure on Huawei to divulge information about the UK’s 5G communications make-up.

The Prime Minister has claimed it would be possible to give Britons access to “fantastic technology” while also protecting “key partnerships with other security powers”.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the choice facing the National Security Council as “momentous” in a last-ditch plea to ministers.

The Financial Times reported the meeting is expected to agree the company can play a restricted role, with the Government looking to impose a cap on its market share to prevent over-reliance on its equipment.

The US administration has previously urged allies in the Five Eyes intelligence community – made up of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – not to use Huawei, claiming it would be a security risk – something the company vehemently denies.

But Mr Johnson told reporters on Monday: “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have technological progress here in the UK, allow consumers, businesses in the UK to have access to fantastic technology, fantastic communications, but also protect our security interests and protect our key partnerships with other security powers around the world.”

Mr Pompeo, who is due to visit Britain later in the week, said: “The UK has a momentous decision ahead on 5G.”

He retweeted a comment by Mr Tugendhat, in which the MP said: “The real costs will come later if we get this wrong and allow Huawei to run 5G.”

Mr Pompeo added: “British MP Tom Tugendhat gets it right: ‘The truth is that only nations able to protect their data will be sovereign’.”

Washington’s ambassador to the UK, Woody Johnson, said Mr Tugendhat’s point was “undeniable”, adding that “doing 5G right goes beyond data ‘mitigation’ – it’s about national sovereignty”.

Tory MP Bob Seely said data privacy issues needed to be considered.

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