The UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) has already allowed a £1bn investment from Octopus.

The UK and California will now look to accelerate partnering on clean energy investment and adds to the 11 other MoUs that have been signed US states, including Washington and Florida.

But question remain on why this deal has been openly announced whilst details of a similar deal with China remain secret.

Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, asked on the Conservative Home site: “Why is Ed Miliband hiding his secret deal with China? Why won’t he let us see it?”

The ‘deal’ with China happened during a visit to the country in March 2025, but the text of the MoU has never been released despite having published similar such deals with other countries and states including Canada, Norway and South Korea.

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