Portsmouth MP delivers petition signed by 'thousands' against Aquind ahead of protest in Eastney

AN MP has handed in a petition against the £1.2n Aquind interconnector.
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Penny Mordaunt Portsmouth North MP, delivered the petition to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on Thursday.

It comes as grassroots campaigning group Let’s Stop Aquind is set to hold a walking protest on Sunday, July 4 at 10am – meeting at the Fort Cumberland car park in Eastney.

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The cross-Channel interconnector is due to come ashore at Eastney if approval is given by business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

Penny Mordaunt hands in a petition against Aquind to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on Thursday, June 10 2021.Penny Mordaunt hands in a petition against Aquind to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on Thursday, June 10 2021.
Penny Mordaunt hands in a petition against Aquind to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on Thursday, June 10 2021.

Ms Mordaunt said: ‘Beis can be in no doubt of the strength of feeling against Aquind and the arguments against this proceeding - it would make us as a nation less resilient, stifle local economic recovery and damage the environment.’

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A decision is due by September, with a recommendation already with civil servants.

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Aquind director Richard Glasspool told Sky News: ‘We don't see any link between making political contributions to the Conservative Party and what we're doing as a project.

‘Absolutely not. Aquind as a project since its inception, and through where we are now, received no favours from any party. It has been an uphill struggle all the way.’

Aquind refused an interview request from The News.

The company previously said its plan will ‘keep the lights on’ for 5m British households, and is an ‘essential part of the national infrastructure’ to meet climate change targets.

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It will save consumers between £2bn and £3.8bn and cut CO2 emissions.

A spokesman said: ‘The project will create and support hundred local jobs during the construction stage, and has been carefully designed to avoid and minimise impact on the environment and local communities.’

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