Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called on the government to block Tesla's application to supply energy to UK homes, citing national security concerns over Elon Musk's behaviour. Tesla applied for a licence from Ofgem in July to enter the domestic energy market, potentially competing with suppliers like British Gas and Octopus as early as next year.
In a letter to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Davey pointed to Musk's social media posts during last summer's UK riots, including a claim that 'civil war is inevitable' and labelling the UK a 'tyrannical police state'. He also noted Musk's expressions of sympathy for far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Davey referenced reports that Musk has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin and that he ordered Starlink to cut internet coverage in Ukraine during a crucial counteroffensive. He argued that giving Tesla a foothold in Britain's energy market would be 'a security, as well as a diplomatic, disaster'.
The deadline for Ofgem to consider feedback on the application is 22 August. Over 8,000 people have written to the regulator to object following a campaign by Best for Britain. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero declined to comment, while Tesla Europe and Ofgem were contacted for comment.
