Nationalisation hurdles in the UK
UK opposition Labour party threatens to nationalise the national grid at below fair value
Labour, the official UK opposition party, announced on 16 May plans to renationalise the country's gas and power transmission system owner and operator National Grid and 14 distribution network operators (DNOs). The proposed reversal of more than three decades of reliance on private gas and electricity transmission networks would force shareholders to accept a discounted offer, paid in gilts. No OECD country has ever underpaid. "As a matter of international law, you need to pay market value compensation," says Dan Neidle, partner at law firm Clifford Chance. "Any investor that has access to an international investment treaty could sue you in an international arbitration tribunal—and you woul
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
