In The Media

Stop Aquind on BBC’s Panorama about The Pandora Papers

When the news of the Pandora Papers dropped earlier this month you may have seen the BBC’s Panorama programme on BBC One or iPlayer, which was one of the first reports on the investigations. Within the programme you may have seen Stop Aquind’s very own Janet talking about the issues surrounding the Aquind Interconnector project.

The episode is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and the Aquind part of the investigation begins around 19 minutes in:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0010bs2/panorama-pandora-papers-political-donors-exposed

Janet on the BBC Panorama and the Pandora Papers

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STOP AQUIND in the media regularly, featured both locally and nationally in print, online and on TV, some stories are linked below. If you want to feature STOP AQUIND in the media and want to find out more about this project and would like to conduct an interview, etc. please get in touch via our Contact page. You can find an introduction about our campaign on our About page too.

News Reports About The Stop Aquind Campaign

Below are news reports on the campaign to stop Aquind:

Aquind: Campaigners send letter to secretary of state as final decision for project approaches – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
Campaigners have sent an impassioned letter to Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of State for energy security and net-zero, as the final decision on the controversial £1.2bn Aquind project draws near.

Aquind interconnector: Cross-Channel critics highlight recent roadworks – BBC News (ARTICLE)
Opponents of a proposed electricity link between Portsmouth and Normandy said recent roadworks showed how easily gridlock could be caused in the city.

Aquind: Portsmouth will rally to see off menace of company’s plan to dig up city for energy interconnector project – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
Now is the time for Portsmouth to raise its voice again as we urge the government to turn down Aquind’s bid to dig up our city as part of its interconnector scheme.

Aquind hearing: a five-year fight sees latest battle in the Royal Courts of Justice – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
Facing hundreds of pages of documentation on Aquind’s five-year fight to dig up vast swathes of Portsmouth, the judge’s expression suggested someone finding themselves all at sea.

Aquind Ltd brings judicial review against Channel cable decision – BBC News (ARTICLE)
The business secretary “misunderstood the evidence” when he refused permission for a £1.2bn electricity link to France, a court has heard.

Aquind in Portsmouth: Why judges at the Royal Courts of Justice must turn down bid to resurrect interconnector scheme – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
Today The News, on behalf of Portsmouth, repeats our clarion call to those in authority – JUST SAY NO to Aquind’s plans for our city.

The News wins national award for Stop Aquind campaign in Portsmouth as judges praise ‘courage and determination’ – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
The courage and determination of The News and its journalists has been praised as we picked up a national award for our Stop Aquind campaign.

OFF THE FENCE: Portsmouth MP Penny Mordaunt claims controversial Aquind project would damage national security – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
As I start my new ministerial role as international trade minister I have the chance to help UK businesses which makes me happy.

Portsmouth campaign Stop Aquind at ‘critical moment’ with submission of 6,200 signature petition to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
“A CAMPAIGN group and a city MP have submitted a 6,200 signature petition calling for the business secretary to scrap the controversial Aquind interconnector works in Eastney.”

Questions remain as cross-channel power line decision approaches – Sky News (VIDEO)
“A firm led by businessman Alexander Temerko is behind the project to build an electricity cable from France to the UK.”

Protesters voice opposition to interconnector plans with line of defiance – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
“PROTESTERS voiced their opposition to a controversial £1.2bn project that would bring power from the continent to Britain via undersea cables.”

Portsmouth protest against Aquind interconnector is postponed because of lockdown – but fight continues – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
A SECOND protest against proposals for a controversial interconnector has been delayed because of the new national lockdown – but campaigners say they will not let up in their fight.

Portsmouth and Aquind – BBC Politics South (VIDEO)
BBC Politics South segment on the Aquind interconnector and ‘Let’s Stop Aquind’ – with Viola Langley, Paula Ann & Gerald Vernon-Jackson interviewed.

Portsmouth protest over Aquind Cross-Channel electricity link plan – The BBC (ARTICLE)
Plans for a £1.2bn electricity link between England and France could mean the loss of green spaces in Portsmouth, campaigners have said.

Protesters line shoreline in Portsmouth to oppose Aquind cable plans – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
MORE than 150 people have lined the shoreline in Portsmouth to show plans for a massive electricity infrastructure project in the area will be met with stiff resistance.

Portsmouth Guildhall sees activists from wide-ranging groups unite for Kill The Bill rally – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
GROUPS from across the city have come together in Guildhall Square for a Kill The Bill rally, showing their opposition to proposed legislation that would give police more powers to curtail protests.

Aquind In The News

Below are some other Aquind news stories and videos that help inform regarding not just the Interconnector plans but also relate to community campaigns, questions regarding companies and directors involved plus political links:

Aquind: Consultation deadline for controversial £1.3bn electricity interconnector between France and Lovedean has been extended – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
The deadline for responses to be made to the controversial Aquind application to install an electricity interconnector between France and Lovedean has been extended to the end of the month.”

Aquind: Government loses bid to block cross-Channel electricity cable – BBC News (ARTICLE)
The UK government’s decision to refuse permission for a £1.2bn electricity link between England and France has been overturned in the High Court.

Aquind wins judicial review to build interconnector meaning decision will be looked at again by the government – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
Aquind says it has won a bid to have a second attempt to build an electricity interconnector in Hampshire countryside and lay cables through Portsmouth.

Calls to censure former Soviet bloc oil tycoon Alexander Temerko who has bankrolled Welsh secretaries – Wales Online (ARTICLE)
“Two consecutive Welsh secretaries have had donations from Ukranian-born Alexander Temerko who moved to Russia at 17 and ran Russian oil and arms companies.”

Portsmouth MP Penny Mordaunt urges Tory party to consider disciplinary measures against donor and Aquind boss Alexander Temerko – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
“A PORTSMOUTH MP has called on her party to rebuke a major donor after he branded her an ‘uncontrollable woman’ amid a dispute over the controversial £1.2bn Aquind scheme.”

Aquind in Portsmouth: Furious city leaders blast ‘dithering’ business secretary for delaying decision on £1.2bn interconnector plan – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
“FURIOUS political leaders in Portsmouth unleashed a vicious broadside against ‘dithering’ business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng after he failed to come to a decision over the controversial Aquind interconnector plan.”

Quarter of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet took Russia-linked cash as Tories head to Conference – The Mirror (ARTICLE)
“Tory coffers have been swelled by £2 million from donors with Russian links since Boris Johnson became PM – and a quarter of ministers attending cabinet have benefited from cash from just three well-connected sources.”

Pandora Papers: Businessman linked to Tory donations made millions from alleged fraud – The BBC (ARTICLE)
“A businessman whose companies have backed 34 Tory MPs made millions from an allegedly corrupt Russian pipeline deal, leaked files show.”

Russian tycoon’s link to alleged corruption in leaked files raises questions for Tory ministers – The Guardian (ARTICLE)
“Leak sheds light on past offshore structure used by Viktor Fedotov, whose UK firm is seeking approval for huge UK infrastructure project.”

Viktor Fedotov, Aquind and Alexander Temerko, and Semyon Vainshtok respond – The Guardian (ARTICLE)
“Subjects of Guardian Pandora papers investigation respond to allegations.”

Kwasi Kwarteng accused of misleading claims over power cable project – The Guardian (ARTICLE)
“Letter from 2019 reveals business secretary supported £1.2bn project linked to Conservative donor.”

Firm Behind Channel Cable Project is Owned by Former Soviet Oil Men & is Generous Conservative Donor – Byline Times (ARTICLE)
“The Aquind Interconnector project could be ‘dangerous’ and ‘completely against the national interest’ a Conservative minister has warned.”

Embezzlement Allegations Cast Shadow OVER AQUIND ENERGY PROJECT – Byline Times (ARTICLE)
“As Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is due to make his decision on the controversial subsea power interconnector, Patrick Elliot looks at the possible roads ahead.”

Cable tycoon lobbied Brexit negotiator Lord Frost over energy deal – The Times (ARTICLE)
“Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator was lobbied by a former Russian arms company executive at a key point in trade talks, newly disclosed letters reveal.”

Firm Behind Giant Channel Cable Project is Owned by Former Soviet Oil Men and is Generous Conservative Donor – Byline Times (ARTICLE)
“The Aquind Interconnector project could be ‘dangerous’ and ‘completely against the national interest’ a Conservative minister has warned.”

Tories take £280k from Russia-linked donors in year since report called for crackdown – The Mirror (ARTICLE)
The Intelligence and Security Committee’s findings last year revealed failures at the heart of Government to tackle Russian interference and influence in our democracy. But none of the 21 recommendations in the report have yet been implemented

Second Tory minister recuses herself from power pipeline decision over donations – Daily Mirror (ARTICLE)
“Anne-Marie Trevelyan admitted to MPs she could not answer questions about the Aquind Interconnector project because one of the firm’s owners had given cash to her local party.”

Portsmouth MP hits out at Aquind’s ‘murky financing’ in bid for cross-Channel power cable – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
“The energy company behind a power cable coming ashore at Portsmouth has ‘murky financing’ and plans that are ‘suspicious,’ an MP has told the House of Commons.”

Calls for ministers to ‘come clean’ over links to cross-Channel power cable sponsor – The Guardian (ARTICLE)
Labour says business ministers should recuse themselves over ‘conflict of interest’“.

Conservative ministers ‘in total fantasy’ over impartiality on £1.2bn Portsmouth Aquind interconnector decision – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
MINISTERS have been accused of being in a ‘total fantasy’ in thinking they can make an impartial decision over the £1.2bn Aquind interconnector plan.

French authorities reject UK-France cross-Channel cable work – The BBC (ARTICLE)
French authorities have rejected the go-ahead for work in Normandy on a £1.2bn cross-channel electricity link.

Energy minister met Russia-linked donor Alexander Temerko despite warnings of ‘trap’ – The Times (ARTICLE)
A government minister was warned against falling into the “elephant trap” of discussing the future of a major infrastructure project co-run by a leading Conservative donor and businessman, The Times has learnt.

Conservative ministers ‘in total fantasy’ over impartiality on £1.12n Aquind decision – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
MINISTERS have been accused of being in a ‘total fantasy’ in thinking they can make an impartial decision over the £1.2bn Aquind interconnector plan.

Russian influence in UK under the spotlight – CNN (VIDEO)
“The Russia report released in the United Kingdom has brought the UK’s association with wealthy Russians and their money into the spotlight, with the focus now shifting to the current status of Russian-backed ventures in the UK, with interviews with Gerald Vernon-Jackson and more.”

Alexander Temerko. Conservative ministers ‘in total fantasy’ over impartiality on £1.2bn Portsmouth Aquind interconnector decision – Portsmouth News (ARTICLE)
MINISTERS have been accused of being in a ‘total fantasy’ in thinking they can make an impartial decision over the £1.2bn Aquind interconnector plan.

 

Let's Stop AQUIND in the media