'The madness continues!' Lee Anderson slams Labour after decision on new coal mine

Lee Anderson has torn into the new Government after it set about damaging Britain’s energy-producing sector with new bans on oil and gas, and pulling support for a new coal mine.

Yesterday, Angela Rayner claimed there had been an “error of law” by the previous Government in granting planning permission for a new coal mine in Cumbria, and she will no longer defend two legal challenges being brought against the decision by two eco groups.

Instead the Government now supports quashing the previous planning permission, despite warnings that as well as killing off potential new jobs it will lead to Britain having to import the coal from abroad instead.

The move was compounded by reports that Ed Miliband is set to ban any new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, sparking fury in Scotland which will be the most impacted by potential job losses.

Responding to the news this morning, Lee Anderson described both decisions by Labour as “madness”.

The Reform UK chief whip added: “How many jobs will this cost?

“The party that claims to be on the side of the workers are trying to block the new coal mine and now this madness.”

He was joined by a swathe of former Tory MPs, including Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg who warned that Ed Miliband’s ban will “line the pockets of overseas dictators”.

Speaking on GB News last night the former energy secretary warned that the Government has “not learned the lessons of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” and said would disintegrate tens of thousands of British jobs, all while “increasing energy bills for the British people”.

“Former Labour leader Ed Miliband, now Energy Secretary, ordering an immediate ban on new North Sea drilling for oil and gas, is a decision at the heart of the net zero fallacy in the UK.

“In the UK we love to boast about the fact that we have cut carbon emissions by more than half since 1990. The Tories have been nearly as culpable in this foolishness as the Labour Party and green lobby more broadly,

“And while we have cut emissions significantly, we have primarily done so by passing our emissions to foreign countries at the expense of our industry and energy security.

“This has hit the economy, economic growth and jobs. A quick search on the national grid dashboard shows over a third of our energy is imported, the majority of which comes from fossil fuels.

“In other words, we have given the appearance of cutting missions so we can give ourselves a pat on the back, while global emissions are hardly affected.

“It's difficult to believe that as recently as the 1990s the UK was a net exporter of energy. We were energy independent, but now we are net importers.

“And this will only get worse under Labour and its fanatical plans to ban drilling.

“The decision represents a boost to overseas dictators who will take full advantage of our reliance on their oil and gas reserves.

Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick added: “First the oil and gas industry, now coking coal for the steel industry".

"Less than a week in and jobs and economic growth are already being sacrificed on the altar of Labour’s net zero zealotry.”

Meanwhile the former MP for Workington, where the coal mine would be based, slammed his Labour successors for “betraying” the area.

Mark Jenkinson fumed: “Many were adamant they wouldn't do it, but our new Labour MPs have started exactly as they mean to go on - betraying West Cumbria, betraying their 'growth' agenda, and betraying the environment by green lighting the import of thousands of tonnes of coking coal”.

The Government has insisted that while banning new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea is still Labour’s policy, it has not yet been implemented by Ed Miliband.

A spokesman for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero said: “As previously stated, we will not issue new licences to explore new fields.”

"We will also not revoke existing oil and gas licences and will manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan.

"We are working with the North Sea Transition Authority to ensure a fair and balanced transition in the North Sea.”