Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called on the government to block Tesla’s bid to supply electricity to UK households, warning it could pose a national security risk.
Tesla, which already operates in the clean energy sector, applied in July for a licence to supply power directly to homes. If approved, it could begin competing with major domestic providers as early as next year. Davey argued that granting this licence would be dangerous, citing Elon Musk’s controversial political statements and alleged contacts with foreign powers.
He pointed to Musk’s social media activity during last year’s riots, when the billionaire described the UK as a “tyrannical police state” and claimed that “civil war is inevitable”. Davey also highlighted reports of Musk’s ties to Vladimir Putin and decisions involving Starlink that affected Ukraine during the war, describing them as evidence of “recklessness” with critical infrastructure.
Campaigners have already submitted more than 8,000 objections to the regulator. Davey urged the energy secretary to use national security laws to stop the application, saying failure to act would risk Britain’s interests. “Allowing Musk into our energy system would be both a security and diplomatic disaster,” he warned.