2,367

of 5,000 signatures

To PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK, CHANCELLOR JEREMY HUNT AND SofS GRANT SHAPPS

The duty of government is to act on the will of the people, defend its citizens and protect democracy. While the threat of the Aquind Interconnector hangs over the people of Portsmouth, you are failing on all counts.

Surely you know by now that our city is united against this dangerous project? From the allotment holders whose plots are vulnerable to drilling chemicals, to the businesses whose livelihoods will be threatened by gridlock from construction chaos, from the children who will be exposed to the pollution from years of tearing up our city, to the sports teams whose pitches will be closed for building sites, from the property owners whose homes are blighted by the route, to the dog walkers who will see Portsmouth’s precious green spaces dug up and fenced off… we reject the vandalism of our city for private profit.

Aquind’s plan would be devastating for our delicate marine and shoreline wildlife, such as 20 species of waders and the Brent Geese that winter here from Siberia. Laying the cables would also disturb significant amounts of toxic waste buried under Milton Common, threatening families living alongside the route with asbestos. The previous Secretary of State found that the damaging impacts on our city and environment could not be justified by any benefits, so what reason can there be to change his decision?

It's time to put an end the fake promises of cheaper and greener electricity, made by a company that has already been granted exemption from pricing regulation, which relies on an abundance of French nuclear power - but France says no to Aquind and now needs its power for its domestic market. It's time to practise what you preach, and invest in sustainable energy projects on our own shores, not put our security at risk by relying on Soviet-born oligarchs to develop critical infrastructure in the home of the Royal Navy.

We demand protection from the activities this highly unusual and opaque company: a company with no experience that claims to be able to manage a £1.3 billion cross-channel project; a company with substantial offshore funding but no trading income; a company that proposes an electricity cable but hides a communications network within it; a company whose owners seek to intimidate the press while making threats to a Portsmouth MP.

Aquind's money and influence have gone to the very heart of the Conservative Party. One of its owners boasts of his influence on your party leadership, while the Prime Minister and Chancellor are amongst those that accepted donations from the company or its owners. It’s time to return this money and remove the stench of cronyism from the Conservative Party’s relationship with Aquind, an odour that threatens your own reputations.

Open letter text

It's time to put an end to this unwanted, unneeded and dangerous plan. It’s time to protect our environment, stand up to oligarchs and defend democracy. It's time to stop Aquind.

29 Mar 2023
48 hours to go - make sure you have your say about the Aquind Interconnector
Thank you for signing Let's Stop Aquind's open letter to the UK government demanding that the Aquind Interconnector project is stopped. Every signature shows the strength of feeling against this dangerous proposal, but there is another way for your voice to be heard. The deadline for responses to the Planning Inspectorate is 23.59 on Friday 31 March, so there are only 48 hours to have your say on Aquind. Email your views to aquind@planninginspectorate.gov.uk and together we can #stopAQUIND

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Signers list

Helen Goss
Jenevieve Pridgeon
Jim Boxall
Barbara Corstorphin
Nick Burnham
Paul Lyness
Ali Gregory
Lauren L
Maisie Chan
Anne Hepburn
Tim Edwards
Matt Brown
Richard Adair
Jenny Baxter
Caitlin Mccann
Rachel Cashman
Tim Hornsey
Eve Mellor
Jack Thomson
Claire Wise
Lizzie Moss
David
Julie Hope
Kate Badham
Tim Sheerman-Chase
Margaret Hellier
Summers Paul
Rollo Rawlings
Holly Fitton
Jayne Dalley
Shirley Dyson
Laura Connolly
Joanne Grimshaw
Nicola Cutbush
Sarah Nurse
Tom Morton
Alison Savage
Bethan Fogell
Karen Millham
Gary Prior
Brian Stanton
Martin Everett
Mr Gus Ward
Margot Spence
Jane Mccarthy
Janice Beams
Hannah Mellows
Nicola Day Miss
Jim Phillips
Sarah Hewitson

It's time to #stopAQUIND

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