UK will place priority on national security in Huawei decision, minister says

Britain's Justice Secretary Robert Buckland leaves after attending a meeting to address the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak, at Cabinet Office in London

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will place a "huge priority" on national security when considering Chinese telecoms firm Huawei's role in the country's 5G network, justice minister Robert Buckland said on Monday.

"National security comes first ... and I know that the NSC (National Security Council) and the whole of government will be placing a huge priority on our national security," he told BBC radio.

An announcement on Huawei's role would be made "as soon as practicable", he said.

(Reporting by William James, editing by David Milliken)