The UK should follow France and cut off internet pirates’ web connections in a move that would clearly be in the national interest, according to the French owner of Universal Music.

Jean Bernard Levy, the chief executive of Vivendi, the Paris-based media and telecoms conglomerate, said the strength of Britain’s creative industries meant that it was imperative that the UK mirrored the “three strikes” policy adopted in France.

Last week, the French parliament passed a law that will sanction the disconnection of a household's internet connection if the subscriber has been caught illegally downloading music, television or film three times.

Mr Levy, speaking at a conference in Hertfordshire, said that it was “so obvious that Britain should be even more in favour of protecting and developing its media industries, its own heritage” by adopting “something like three strikes”.

Tomorrow, Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, will discuss Britain’s plans ahead of legislation due in next months’ Queen’s Speech.

He has already asked for views on whether serial pirates should have their internet connections suspended — prompting an intense debate as to whether the sanction is a fair penalty.

Separately, Mr Levy remained tight lipped on whether he would consider selling his $5 billion (£3.05 billion) 20 per cent stake in NBC Universal to majority owner General Electric.

But he did highlight that he had an alternative under a shareholder agreement with GE in which Vivendi could force a flotation of NBC Universal.

Vivendi has an option to put the stake to the media group’s majority owner General Electric or demand a flotation, most likely on the New York Stock Exchange, in a three-week window following November 15.

General Electric expects Vivendi to sell, and has been exploring a possible new partnership for NBC Universal, in which the US cable group Comcast takes a 51 per cent stake.

Mr Levy said that he would “make no further comments” about whether he would sell the shareholding, but when asked about the possibility of a float, Mr Levy added: “Why not? It was part of the thinking we had in 2003 [when Vivendi sold Universal Studios was sold to General Electric] that maybe when Vivendi exited it would do so via a flotation."

However, despite Mr Levy’s comments, a direct sale to General Electric is seen as the most likely outcome, with him keeping the float option in reserve in case Vivendi is not able to achieve a satisfactory price.

Vivendi does believe that a rally in media valuations since the summer at least means that the threat of a forced float is more realistic.

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