Alexander Temerko said he will within weeks bring a judicial review against Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng’s decision against Aquind’s proposed electricity link between Portsmouth and Normandy.

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. Mr Temerko also said he was considering writing a “letter to the Prime Minister ” with whom he describes being “political friends for many years”, over Ms Mordaunt’s role in Government.

Mr Temerko claimed her comments made her a “warmonger”, adding: “It’s absolutely dreadful if you want to just punish my business, and at the same time she tried to punish all business of interconnectors with France and Europe. “It’s very unprofessional, she is a threat to security. Penny Mordaunt is the biggest threat to security for our country.”

Mr Temerko argued that his interconnector would bring down energy prices after its completion and hit out at local campaigners against his plans. “Of course, they want… a cheaper price of electricity, but ‘not in my village’, you know,” he said.