Marco Alverà, chief executive of Snam — Italy’s equivalent of the National Grid — told the Financial Times that the cold snap earlier this year had laid bare the vulnerabilities in the UK gas system. “I would hope the UK would rethink and reverse its decisions — it’s important for the whole continent,” Mr Alverà said.

“As the UK has moved from being a significant exporter of gas to a major importer, there will continue to be significant gas supply issues.”

Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, now owned by Shell, said it closed the 40-year old Rough site the UK's main gas storage facility because it had become too costly to maintain. This cut the UK’s storage capacity from 15 days of winter demand to just four to five days.

The Brexiteer Clowns at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have repeatedly said the UK can attract ample gas supplies through import pipelines and seaborne tankers of liquefied natural gas (LNG). . . . and they couldn't.