The government has let down the people of west Cumbria by dropping defence of the coal mine, says former mayor of Copeland. 

Mike Starkie, former mayor of Copeland, has criticised the government over its decision to drop its defence of the west Cumbria coal mine in forthcoming legal challenges after it declared that the previous approval given to it was an "error of law."

It follows from the Supreme Court's decision on the 'Finch v Surrey County Council' case which ruled that emissions from burning fossil fuels must be considered in planning applications for new extraction projects.

Mr Starkie said: "It took the new Labour government less than one week after they've been elected to fail the people of West Cumbria.

"If this mine is not to go ahead, it will be a devastating blow to west Cumbria and to the people of west Cumbria.

"It will bring significant jobs, huge investment and much needed prosperity and real time levelling-up to west Cumbria.

"I think the government has let down the people of Cumbria and they haven't got any alternative plan in place."

MORE REACTION: MP calls for 'well-paid jobs' in 'lasting' industry after mine 'error in law' call

The government was set to defend the decision to approve the plans by then Secretary of State Michael Gove in December 2022 in two legal challenges against Friends of the Earth and South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC). 

As it has now pulled out of this, it will fall to West Cumbria Mining to either concede the case or defend it. 

"West Cumbria Mining will defend the case next week," claimed Mr Starkie. "They'll make the points that they've made quite eloquently from their arrival here.

"And, it is worth noting, this mine has gone through one of the most rigorous processes of any planning application anywhere in the country in the last decade.

"At every turn, it was approved and given the go ahead."

Maggie Mason of SLACC said: “Our small charity has opposed the mine because of its harmful impacts on the local and global climate, and the appalling precedent created by West Cumbria Mining’s claim that a new coal mine doesn’t increase the global use of coal.  

“Building the mine on an old chemical site close to homes and the Irish Sea was also risky. West Cumbrians deserve jobs that don’t cost the earth."