PM says Tories ‘committed to nuclear’ but fails to confirm funding for a new Cumbrian plant after losses are reported by one of its backers

The prime minister has been accused of ducking the issue of whether the government supports a new nuclear power station in west Cumbria on a visit to Copeland ahead of the constituency’s byelection.



The accusation was levelled after Theresa May said the Conservative party was “committed” to nuclear, but did not offer state support following huge losses reported by one of the backers of a deal to build the Moorside nuclear plant near Whitehaven.

NuGen, the company behind the Moorside scheme in Cumbria, has insisted Toshiba remains committed to the project despite doubts after the Japanese giant revealed it was on track for losses of 390bn yen (£2.7bn) for the year to March. Toshiba has a 60% stake in NuGen.

Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, which represents nuclear workers, said: “Theresa May has ducked the central question, just when strong leadership was required.”



During the visit the prime minister refused to make any new guarantees, although she said the business secretary, Greg Clark, had spoken to the Japanese firm and got a pledge of its backing.



“It’s the Conservatives who are committed to the nuclear industry in the UK. Trudy Harrison, our candidate here, has made very clear to me the importance of Moorside,” May said.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Theresa May and the Conservative candidate for the upcoming Copeland byelection, Trudy Harrison, arrive for a visit to Captain Shaw’s primary school in Bootle. Photograph: WPA Pool/Getty Images

Bowden said: “It is crucial for the future of Moorside, for the economy and jobs in Copeland and for the future security of Britain’s electricity supply that there is a government-backed plan B. The government just crossing its fingers and toes will not guarantee the lights stay on if there is a further wobble with Toshiba.”



May said: “Jeremy Corbyn was asked five times in one interview whether he would back Moorside and he would not back Moorside.

“It’s the Conservatives who understand the importance of the nuclear industry. Trudy Harrison knows that – her husband works in the nuclear industry. She knows how important it is.”



Gillian Troughton, Labour’s byelection candidate, insisted her party was fully committed to nuclear power. “No ifs, no buts, Labour was and is the party of nuclear … That is party policy. It always will be party policy.

“Tom Watson [deputy leader] has been up here and quite clearly stated that. Jeremy has quite clearly stated that. This is a distraction from what the Tories are doing regarding investment in this area. The Tories are heartlessly stripping away Sellafield workers’ pensions. That’s how interested they are in nuclear.”



In December unions representing many of Sellafield’s 10,000 workers threatened “serious industrial unrest” over government plans to downgrade their final salary pension scheme.

On a visit to a primary school in Bootle, in the south of the seat, May also denied that the A&E department at the West Cumberland hospital in Whitehaven would be closed. But she would not say if she personally opposed plans to downgrade maternity services at the hospital – a source of much public concern in the marginal constituency.

Toshiba crisis: unions urge government to 'get a grip' on nuclear policy Read more

In October last year May said there was a “general consensus” among clinicians in Copeland that the consultant-led unit should close because of staff recruitment problems, even though it meant women with difficult births would be forced to travel 40 miles along a single-lane road to Carlisle.

During a tightly controlled visit to Captain Shaw’s primary school on Wednesday, May rebuffed four attempts by a reporter from ITV to ask if she personally opposed the maternity downgrade, saying: “There has been a lot of scaremongering about hospital services and the NHS here by the Labour party. There is no truth in the suggestion that A&E at West Cumberland hospital is about to be closed. Trudy Harrison, our candidate, does indeed know the importance of these services. She is opposed to the downgrading of these services.”

Harrison said she had secured a government-backed review of recruitment problems facing the constituency’s three hospitals.

“I’ve spoken to supporters, staff and Philip Dunne, the health minister, and I know that it’s not about funding, it’s about recruitment. That’s why my plan for a stronger economy, better services and improved infrastructure will help with that challenge of recruiting enough talented doctors and nurses into West Cumberland hospital and also Millom and Keswick – we have three hospitals in this constituency,” she said.

Harrison insisted she was “absolutely” against the maternity plans, saying she and her four daughters were born in West Cumberland hospital.