THE LABOUR Party of Workington is set to host a top Shadow Cabinet member at a meeting where controversial plans for a West Cumbrian coal mine will be discussed.

Shadow Minister for Climate Change in Labour’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy team, Matthew Pennycook MP will appear at a Workington Labour Party Zoom meeting on Wednesday, March 31.

Juliet Wilson, chair of Workington constituency Labour Party said: “The future of the proposed coal mine at Whitehaven has finally been taken out of local hands by central government and there’s going to be a public inquiry.

“That’s as it should be – it’s a global issue let alone a national one given the UK’s ambitious net-zero targets. We’re all in this together on one over-heating planet. But we need whoever is in power in Westminster to understand that we want investment in West Cumbria’s economic future.” She said: “At the last election our Party pledged to put a steel recycling plant in Workington. That would have been a big boost to jobs and the economy – far bigger than a coal mine. We want more plants like that here, trailblazing the technologies of the future.”

Labour has been one of the biggest critics of the West Cumbria Mining plan, on environmental grounds, which would see coal extracted from the coast.

They say that most of the extract will be exported. Labour highlights that Government’s Climate Change Committee has said any domestic market could disappear in under 15 years as UK industry works towards the legally binding 2050 net zero.

Mr Pennycook said: “We must do much more to involve the public in an honest discussion about the inherent trade-offs involved in getting to net zero.”

Ms Wilson said: “We’ll be discussing Labour’s jobs strategy for West Cumbria as well as other climate-change related issues affecting us like flooding, extreme weather and coastal erosion. I’m delighted that Matthew will be getting to know West Cumbria. It’s just a shame we can’t take him round the area in person and hold a public meeting. That would have been a great opportunity to involve everyone in discussing West Cumbria’s needs and our potential to forge ahead with the right support from a future Labour government.”