Trudy's Whitehaven News column from September 7, 2022:
I’d like to offer my congratulations to Liz Truss on becoming the new Leader of the Conservative Party and our new Prime Minister.
I am confident that Liz is the right person to continue delivering on our commitments, progress the levelling up agenda, and to lead us through the challenges we are currently facing.
I am putting my trust in the new Prime Minister to crack on and deliver what her predecessor Boris Johnson has started in terms of the progress made on nuclear energy.
In announcing the funding for Sizewell C last week – as well as reaffirming the commitment to building at least eight new nuclear reactors across the UK – Boris devoted his final words as Prime Minister to nuclear energy. ‘Go Nuclear, Go Large’, he stated, pledging £1.7 billion of direct Government funding for developing large-scale nuclear projects in this Parliament.
Nuclear power supports our community more than any other; we have let our most powerful, most efficient and reliable electricity generation down badly over recent decades.
But I will continue to fight every day to secure its future to achieve affordable, reliable clean power, supporting science and industry, apprenticeships and high quality jobs, vibrant communities and a brilliant export opportunity.
Now is the time to invest in nuclear and renewable energy, hence my plan to bring Rolls-Royce SMRs to Copeland, as outlined in my new Nuclear Journey brochure (available here).
Copeland is in a unique position to build on our history as pioneers of the nuclear industry, to become significant contributors to the UK’S net-zero ambitions and a major growth engine for the UK economy and the Northern Powerhouse. Our trusted, tried and tested track record makes us the most logical site for small modular reactors.
Moreover, we have a local community who are willing and supportive of new nuclear, as well as local authorities who are expert at dealing with the complexities of hosting the nuclear industry. The Rolls-Royce SMR is a near-term, UK-focused solution for a vast, expanding global market in clean power.
Hosting the first SMRs in Copeland would bring Copeland’s nuclear expertise to the next generation of British nuclear – and I’ll be making this case as an urgent priority with our new PM.
