A major Tory donor behind a £1.2 billion cross-Channel power cable project blocked by the Government is threatening to take legal action.
Alexander Temerko indicated that he intends to challenge the Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng’s decision regarding Aquind’s electricity link between Portsmouth, Normandy.
After she had successfully fought against the project, Mr Temerko stated that he will bring an unspecified legal case against Penny Mordaunt, the trade minister.
Ex-defense secretary Ms Mordaunt had warned of the Aquind threat as she called on ministers to stop the plans.
Alexander Temerko has accused trade minister Penny Mordaunt of being the ‘biggest threat to security’ after she campaigned against the Aquind power cable project
Kwasi Kwarteng was appointed Business Secretary to discredit Aquind’s (pictured) plans to establish a new electrical link between Portsmouth, France and Normandy.
Aquind Limited is part-owned by Russian-born former oil tycoon Victor Fedotov and has donated at least £430,000 to the Conservative Party and its MPs.
Mr Temerko, a British citizen who was born in the former Soviet Union and is a director of the company, has given more than £730,000.
Interview with PA News Agency: Mr Temerko expresses anger over the intervention of the Conservative MP as he lashed out at Mr Kwarteng for his ‘unusual’ decision last week.
The donor stated that she was preparing for a judicial review. She also said that they are looking into taking action against Penny Mordaunt, because of something about her statements.
Tory donor Alexander Temerko, who has given more than £730,000 to the Conservative Party and its MPs, pictured with former Prime Minister David Cameron
Additionally, Temerko stated that he had been considering writing a “letter to the Prime Minster”, which he described as being close friends over many years, regarding Ms Mordaunt’s position in Government.
“She should be quiet if her ministership is over, and if she wishes to become an active politician, she should quit,” Mr Temerko stated.
A letter was published by the Planning Inspectorate on Thursday. It showed that Mr Kwarteng had decided to “refuse development consent” after having reviewed his obligations under the Energy National Policy Statement.
According to Mr Kwarteng, he was not satisfied with the ‘appropriate alternative routes’ that were considered. This raised concerns about the ‘proposed landfall in an urban area’.
Before Aquind made his decision, Ms Mordaunt explained that Aquind’s plans could make Britain less dependent on France. This would allow Paris to “use the future energy supply as an bargaining chip”.
Ms Temerko said that her remarks made her a “warmonger”, adding, “It’s absolutely terrible if you just punish me, but she also tried to punish any business interconnectors to France or Europe.”
She is dangerous to our security. Penny Mordaunt poses the greatest threat to national security.
Mordaunt opposed Aquind’s plans to build the channel interconnector between Normandy (where she is an MP) and Portsmouth. She reacted by saying that Mr Temerko was a ‘absolutely controllable woman’.
According to Aquind, the cabe “will improve energy markets efficiency and supply security as well as enable greater flexibility in power grid evolution.”
His interconnector was expected to lower energy costs after completion, and he blasted local opponents.
He stated, “Ofcourse, they want… cheaper electricity prices, but not in mine village,”
When asked if he wasn’t prolonging pain for Portsmouth residents, he replied that there would be some disruption but not too much.
Mr Temerko argued that it was okay to give large amounts of money to the ruling party, while urging the Government to allow his project.
“I don’t think there’s any conflict of interest,” Mr Temerko replied, and said that he’d continue to donate money to Conservatives.
He said, “I support many, Many MPs. It’s my friends. It’s not my contributions because I want something.”
He said that he had six weeks to file the judicial review against Government and wouldn’t state the type of action he would take against Ms Mordaunt. However, he did say that he could contact her with an inquiry for comments.