How can we criticise other countries?

DEAR Editor, The decision to open the new coalmine in Cumbria is nothing short of outrageous. The government’s independent climate adviser, the chair of the Climate Change Committee and former Tory minister Lord Deben described the decision as ‘absolutely indefensible’. On BBC’s Newsnight, he was incandescent with rage.

The mine is to produce coking coal for steel making and will increase emissions by about 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year, or the equivalent of 200,000 cars on the road. At least 83% of the coal will be exported. The mine is owned by a private equity investment firm with a base in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands.

Ron Deelen, a former chief executive of British Steel, said: ‘This is a completely unnecessary step for the British steel industry, which is not waiting for more coal as there is enough on the free market available, The British steel industry needs green investment in electric arc furnaces and hydrogen to protect jobs and make the UK competitive.’

Alok Sharma was the cabinet minister who received widespread acclaim on the world stage when he led the UK’s successful presidency of the Cop 26 climate summit in Glasgow last year. Demoted to the backbenches by Rishi Sunak, he has taken his opportunity to speak out. He said: ‘Over the past three years the UK has sought to persuade other nations to consign coal to history because we are fighting to limit global warming to 1.5C, and coal is the most polluting energy source. A decision to open a new coalmine would send completely the wrong message and be an own goal.’

Lord Stern of Brentford, the acclaimed economist who has worked on the climate, development and public policy, added: “Opening a coalmine in the UK now is a serious mistake: economic, social, environmental, financial and political. Politically, it is undermining the UK’s authority on the most important global issue of our time.’

How can we criticise China and India for their coal fire power stations when we are opening a new coalmine? The rest of the world is looking at us with disdain. Is this really ‘Global Britain’ at its best?

It’s no wonder that Margaret Thatcher’s chief press secretary Sir Bernard Ingham recently wrote: ‘The stench of decay hanging over Westminster is becoming unbearable. The Tories have clearly lost the will to govern, and the people know it.’

Mike Baldwin, by email