Aquind threatens legal moves after cross-Channel cable refused

Aquind is part-owned by Ukrainian-born British businessman Alexander Temerko

The part-owner of a £1.2 billion cross-Channel power cable project blocked by the government has threatened to take legal action.

Aquind Ltd wanted to lay cables through Portsmouth, Hampshire, to Normandy.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said he was not satisfied "more appropriate alternatives to the proposed route" had been fully considered.

Alexander Temerko said he would bring a judicial review against the decision within weeks.

He also said he would bring unspecified legal action against Portsmouth MP and Conservative trade minster Penny Mordaunt personally.

Mr Temerko described her as the "biggest threat to security" after she successfully campaigned against the project.

Ms Mordaunt, a former defence secretary, had warned the Aquind link was a threat to Britain's "energy security" as she urged ministers to prevent the plans going ahead.

She had argued the plans would make Britain more reliant on France, allowing Paris to "use future energy supply as a bargaining chip".

The company - which is part-owned by Russian-born Victor Fedotov - and another of his businesses, have donated £700,000 to 34 Conservative MPs since the Aquind project began, the BBC Panorama programme reported in October.

Fellow director, Ukrainian-born Mr Temerko, has donated a further £700,000 to the party.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng refused Aquind Ltd development consent

Aquind has previously said the planned 2GW interconnector could supply up to 5% of the UK's energy needs.

In an interview with the PA news agency, Mr Temerko expressed anger at the Conservative MP's intervention as he struck out at Mr Kwarteng's "unusual decision" last week.

"We are preparing a judicial review and we are considering action against Penny Mordaunt because there's something in her statement that was absolutely wrong," the donor said.

Mr Temerko also said he was considering writing a letter to the Prime Minister, with whom he described being "political friends for many years", over Ms Mordaunt's role in the government.

"She must be silent if she is a minister, if she wants to be an active politician she should resign," Mr Temerko said.

On Thursday, a letter published on the Planning Inspectorate website showed Mr Kwarteng decided to "refuse development consent", raising particular concerns of "the proposed landfall in an urban location".

"Of course, they want... a cheaper price of electricity, but 'not in my village', you know," Mr Temerko said following the decision.

He also insisted there was nothing wrong with giving large donations to the ruling party while pressing the government to approve his project.

"I don't see there's a conflict of interest," Mr Temerko said, adding that "of course" he will continue to donate to the Conservatives.

"I support many, many MPs, it's my friends, it's not my donations because I want to receive something," he added.

Mr Temerko said he has six weeks to bring the judicial review, and would not state what kind of action he would bring against Ms Mordaunt, who has not yet commented on his remarks.