Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s “ideological” net zero policies are a threat to national security because of their reliance on Chinese technology, the former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove has warned.
Speaking to The i Paper, Dearlove outlined the risk of using Chinese technology in the UK’s wind farms, solar panels, electric cars and other green energy infrastructure.
The UK has been trying to reset its relationship with China but fears are growing about the threat posed to national security. In the US, Donald Trump has taken a tougher approach by trying to isolate China and weaken its economy, with a particular focus on Beijing-backed technology.
Dearlove said: “The problem is you’ve got the ideological Ed Miliband pursuing zero carbon without a thought for the impact on national security.”
He added: “It’s so crazy… the whole policy is completely mad.”
Dearlove has previously warned against relying on China for Britain’s energy infrastructure over security fears but his latest intervention marks the starkest warning yet over the security implications of new green technology that relies on Chinese supply chains.
It highlights the delicate balancing act required to deal with the world’s second largest economy while preserving national security. China hawks are putting pressure on ministers to take a tougher stance against the country over issues including security and human rights.
It also puts pressure on Miliband, whose supporters fear there is growing resistance to his net zero policies within Downing Street and the Treasury.
Dearlove, who ran MI6 between 1999 and 2004, has warned that Chinese companies are dominating the manufacture of microchips, known as cellular modules or CIMs, that are embedded in equipment or devices ranging from electric cars to solar panels. It has been claimed that this could enable the Chinese to remotely control these technologies, including being able to turn off or otherwise corrupt the devices the microchips are in.
Chinese components – dubbed by some as “kill switches” – have reportedly been discovered in American solar panels, prompting fears that huge disruption could be wrought on their energy grid. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington previously hit back, criticising the “distorting and smearing China’s infrastructure achievements”.
Dearlove said: “Let’s face it, the Government haven’t really got their head around the problem, which is one of the reasons why people like me are speaking out. It’s not to be alarmist, but to point out that there is a serious issue which we need to deal with over time.”
The former head of the Secret Intelligence Service says he believes Miliband is aware of the problem but is not taking it seriously enough.
“He probably thinks, ‘I’m dealing with a more serious problem, which is climate change, and that comes first therefore we’re going to pursue that to the exclusion of all other issues,’” said Dearlove, who adds Miliband will see that the Chinese are able to provide the technology needed to cut emissions now.
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“It’s so irrational, it is seriously problematic,” he said.
Sources close to Miliband criticised Dearlove’s position on climate change and how to deal with climate threat.
Dearlove served on the board of American oil company Kosmos Energy from 2012 to 2023.
A Government spokesperson said: “We would never let anything get in the way of our national security.”
What Governments can do about the threat from technology
Dearlove is raising the alarm alongside the Coalition for Secure Technology, with whom he jointly briefed MPs last week on the threat of Chinese technology, which he believes could bring UK cities to a standstill by knocking out traffic lights and immobilising cars.
He believes while it’s important to highlight the dangers, a solution must also be found by those in power.
“The answer probably is to try to develop manufacturing in countries that we trust, which can ultimately replace Chinese technology.
“But the problem is that the Chinese have created a system of dependencies by massively subsidising these areas of their economy so that they hugely undercut the market competitors out of business.”
China has made great strides in developing technology early and cheaply, leaving many countries, including the UK, reliant on its imports.
Chinese-made EVs are banned in the US over concerns that they could spy or be be remotely manipulated from Beijing. And The i Paper revealed that Trump is set to push for similar ban in the UK as part of ongoing trade negotiations between the countries.
Sir Richard Dearlove ran MI6 between 1999 and 2004, (Photo: Christopher Cox/Mail on Sunday)The former spy boss believes the UK government is slowly becoming more aware of the issue, and has in the past acted to remove potentially hostile Chinese technology when they blocked the tech giant Huawei from the country’s 5G public networks.
“I think in the UK, the situation is changing, people are beginning to wake up…. the Labour Government knows there’s a problem. The question is, how the hell are they going to deal with it.
“It’s difficult for them, in particular because of the way Miliband has been given this free hand on zero carbon, which cuts right across a lot of these issues.
“[But] at some point, I wouldn’t say it’ll come to a head, but they’ll have to wise up.”
Dearlove added: “If you’re building a grid, for example, which is partially dependent on the switching mechanisms for accommodating renewables, it may be of Chinese manufacture. These are massive points of vulnerability.”
Under the Conservative government, the UK became the first major economy to create a legally binding target to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Miliband has previously warned that an anti-net zero agenda would risk “climate breakdown” and “forfeit the clean energy jobs of the future”.
Responding to Dearlove’s comments, a Government spokesperson said: “Our energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny.”
The Chinese Embassy in London has been approached for a comment.
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