UK government seeks powers to secretly block risky tech suppliers

The UK government is seeking new powers to secretly block technology suppliers deemed to pose a national security risk, particularly to critical sectors like energy, water, and transport. These powers, modeled after those used to exclude Huawei from 5G networks, would allow the government to issue directives to companies in these sectors, preventing them from using specific vendors without public disclosure of the vendor itself. The amendments aim to proactively address potential espionage and sabotage threats from suppliers linked to hostile states, but raise concerns about transparency and due process.