The UK government has launched a “full national security assessment” of the French telecoms billionaire Patrick Drahi over the increase in his stake in BT to 18%.
The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, said on Thursday he was exercising his “call-in power” under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 after Drahi’s Altice company increased its stake in BT from 12.1% to 18% in mid-December making him the single biggest shareholder.
