Hinkley Point nuclear deal: Theresa May demanded national security checks on Chinese investors, says Vince Cable
Hinkley Point nuclear deal: Theresa May demanded national security checks on Chinese investors, says Vince Cable
Theresa May's government announced this week that it would pause the final decision on approving the deal to build Hinkley Point C CREDIT: SAMUEL KUBANI/AFP
Tim Ross, senior political correspondent
30 JULY 2016 • 9:36PM
Theresa May privately demanded strict new national security checks on Chinese companies seeking to take over British industries, a former cabinet colleague has revealed.
Sir Vince Cable, business secretary until last year, suggested the Prime Minister had a “general prejudice” against Chinese investments in Britain and wanted to emulate American rules banning foreign takeovers that could undermine security.
The disclosure came after Mrs May delayed a decision on whether to allow the China-backed Hinkley Point nuclear project to go ahead. Speaking to the Telegraph, Sir Vince detailed Mrs May’s long-held security concerns over China’s involvement in the £18 billion nuclear power plant in Somerset and other business links with China.
He said she was “never completely satisfied about Huawei”, the Chinese telecommunications giant, which has a major partnership with BT.
“I and others thought they were a good thing but I think she was worried about them,” he said.
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