Boris Johnson gets hauled over the coals in grilling over potential new colliery in Cumbria

Boris Johnson gets hauled over the coals in grilling over potential new colliery in Cumbria

  • Boris Johnson said opening a new colliery in Cumbria is not his choice to make
  • The Prime Minister said that the decision lies with the local planning authorities 
  • Mr Johnson however insisted that he is ‘not in favour of more coal’ when asked


Boris Johnson has insisted that although he is against ‘more coal’ the potential opening of a new colliery in Cumbria is not his decision to make.

Under fierce questioning about the plan, the Prime Minister said in Glasgow: ‘I’m not in favour of more coal, let’s be absolutely clear, but it’s not a decision for me.’

He told the BBC: ‘It’s a decision for local planning authorities.’

The site of a proposed new coal mine near Whitehaven, Cumbria. The plan has been approved three times by Cumbria County Council since 2017 but in March it was ‘called in’ for an inquiry 

The public hearings concluded on October 1 and planning inspector Stephen Normington said he would make his recommendation in late December or early January

The public hearings concluded on October 1 and planning inspector Stephen Normington said he would make his recommendation in late December or early January 

West Cumbria Mining wants to open a new deep coal mine near Whitehaven to extract metallurgical or coking coal for the steel industry.

The plan has been approved three times by Cumbria County Council since 2017 but in March it was ‘called in’ for an inquiry. A decision is due soon.

Tony Bosworth of Friends of the Earth disputed the Prime Minister’s assertion that the final decision lies with planning authorities and warned: ‘Actions speak louder than words.’

Boris Johnson said of the potential mine: 'I'm not in favour of more coal, let's be absolutely clear, but it's not a decision for me'

Boris Johnson said of the potential mine: ‘I’m not in favour of more coal, let’s be absolutely clear, but it’s not a decision for me’

‘If Boris Johnson is not in favour of more coal, why did it take his Government so long to ‘call in’ planning permission for a new coal mine in Cumbria?’ Mr Bosworth added.

‘It’s not local planning authorities who will decide if the Cumbria coal mine is built, as Boris Johnson appears to believe.

‘The final decision will rest with his Government, based on the evidence presented at the recent public inquiry, which overwhelmingly showed permission should be refused.’

The public hearings concluded on October 1 and planning inspector Stephen Normington said he would make his recommendation in late December or early January.

In October, Mr Johnson said ‘we don’t want to support new coal mines’ but Downing Street stressed he was talking ‘in broader terms’ rather than about the Whitehaven plan.

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