COPELAND Tories have hit out at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer over his comments opposing West Cumbria Mining’s Woodhouse Colliery proposal.

Leader of the Labour Party Starmer visited Workington Town Centre on the campaign trial this week as elections loom on May 5.

When asked for his views on the controversial proposal to build a metallurgical coal mine in Whitehaven, Sir Keir said that it “isn’t the way forward” for job generation in Cumbria.

He said: “The really good new generation jobs in tech and digital, they’re all in nuclear, renewables.

“What I would say is, let’s grasp those opportunities.

“I do support new nuclear and reactors and I think what people in Workington want, is what’s the plan for the next generation of jobs.”

The Labour leader visited high-street businesses and told residents that the Government should implement a windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas companies.

Copeland Conservatives, who are in support of the mine, have lashed out at Sir Keir in response.

Andy Pratt, Chairman of Copeland Conservative Association said: “We are disappointed – but not surprised – that Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, has used his visit to West Cumbria to speak out against the Woodhouse Colliery mine in Whitehaven.

Councillor Pratt said: “Copeland Conservatives are 100 per cent supportive of this development. It will bring significant investment into our area, providing well-paid jobs and opportunities both at the mine directly - during construction and operation - and in the supply chain.

“Furthermore, by accessing a homegrown source of coking coal for the steel-making industry, it will reduce our reliance on imported coal and the damaging environmental impact this has.

“The Conservatives are the party of development, investment and opportunity; the same cannot be said of the opposition, and the Labour Leader’s staunch opposition to our mine only goes to prove that even further.

The Woodhouse Colliery planning application was the subject of a fraught public inquiry in 2021 after then Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick called it in.

Friends of the Earth and South Lakes Action on Climate Change spoke against the plans, urging planning inspector Stephen Normington to recommend that they are refused.

Environmental campaign groups believe that the UK should not be opening new coal mines on the march to net zero carbon.

But supporters argue that the mine will extract metallurgical coal for use in British steel, not thermal coal.

Friends of the Earth believe renewables are the way forward but supporters argue that coal extracted in Whitehaven would cut emissions generated when the product is shipped from abroad.