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Stephen Morgan MP ramps up pressure on the Tory government to ‘Stop Aquind’ in latest intervention

Stephen Morgan MP has urged government ministers in Parliament today to reject and the ‘damaging and suspicious proposals’ of the AQUIND Interconnector Project.

The Portsmouth representative was raising his constituents concerns again about AQUIND’s finances and the reported influence its leaders have over government ministers during Business questions in the House of Commons.

It comes following the launch of Mr Morgan’s public petition last weekend, calling on Parliament to urge the government to halt the unpopular infrastructure project.

The petition is open to any UK resident, with no age restrictions.

The Portsmouth MP is set to present the petition to Parliament in the coming weeks and is urging as many constituents as possible to add their signature.

Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan MP, commented,

“AQUIND would be a disaster for Portsmouth. It would create untold disruption to our city’s communities and natural environment, while bringing no clear benefits.

“With serious concerns about the company itself, its murky financing and the influence of its leaders on the Conservative Party, significant questions are being raised.

“That’s why today in Parliament I wanted to speak up again for my constituents on this important issue.

“With the Conservative Secretary of State absent for my appeal, and a non-answer from his junior minister, I hope the Government will finally listen to our city’s objections and stop AQUIND.”

The MP’s latest parliamentary intervention was backed by Labour’s frontbench during oral questions in the House of Commons.

Shadow Energy Minister Alan Whitehead MP adding at the Despatch Box:

“Is the minister aware that we are talking about a company that, as its sole activity is proposing to build an interconnector with France, but has attempted to get itself exempted from all the rules governing interconnectors, is now extraordinarily seeking government backing to trash parts of Portsmouth to land its cable.

“But throughout all this has never traded and is completely reliant for its existence on loans from unnamed overseas companies: but it has been active as a company in one other thing, and that is giving huge donations to the Conservative Party and a number of its MPs to the tune of £1,100,000 either from the company itself, or through the good offices of its part owner.

“And now perhaps in return, it wants the government to support its rackety scheme through the Secretary of State personally approving its planning application.

“This whole thing stinks. I would ask ministers to call a halt to this seedy enterprise and certainly not endorse it’s wild and inappropriate planning proposals.”

From a very early stage, Mr Morgan has taken a range of actions to help halt plans for the largescale infrastructure project, including giving evidence to the Planning Inspectorate expressing his concerns, tabling a number of written parliamentary questions and writing a number of letters to relevant Ministers. His campaign to stop AQUIND continue.