Shadow Energy Secretary sets out plan to make Cumbria a "clean energy superpower"

The Shadow Energy Secretary has set out details of how Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan will put Cumbria at the forefront of Labour’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

Ed Miliband has also said that the Port of Workington is an “ideal” candidate for investment through Labour’s National Wealth Fund.

In a speech at the Cumberland Council Economic Summit alongside Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer and a visit to the Port of Workington with parliamentary candidate for Whitehaven & Workington Josh MacAlister, Ed Miliband pledged that a central priority of Labour’s energy policy will be to “invest in British industries and communities” including Cumbria, outlining how Labour’s plans for the region will mean thousands of well-paid jobs and apprenticeships for local residents.

Speaking about the potential for the Port of Workington to benefit from Labour’s £1.8 billion National Wealth Fund investment, he commented:

“Labour has already set out plans to invest in upgrading ports – ports like the one in Workington – so that we can unlock thousands of jobs in clean energy. The Port of Workington is an ideal candidate for this new investment.”

"Cumbria can be a clean energy powerhouse for our country"

Labour has committed to a £1.8 billion National Wealth Fund scheme to upgrade Britain’s port infrastructure. Investment in the Port of Workington could unlock more capacity at the port, enabling the port to reap the benefits of the jobs in the clean energy industry, such as installation, operations and maintenance of offshore wind in the Irish Sea

UK ports bosses have raised concerns about the Conservative government’s lack of investment in infrastructure, which will strangle the capacity to deliver on offshore wind targets. With each turbine blade taller than Big Ben, industry experts have warned that without investment in ports, Britain could lose the global race for clean energy supply chains.

Shadow Secretary of State of Climate Change and Net Zero, Ed Miliband MP, commented:

“Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan is about investing in British industries and communities across Cumbria. By backing our ports and upgrading our infrastructure, we will support thousands of well-paid jobs and apprenticeships for local people.

“Cumbria can be a clean energy powerhouse for our country and Labour is committed to doing everything we can to make it happen.

“From the British Jobs Bonus to our support for accelerating new nuclear, to our Warm Homes Plan, to Great British Energy, our publicly owned energy company to invest in clean power, a Labour government is determined to work in partnership with the people of Cumbria to create the good jobs that people have a right to expect.

“This is a model of what Labour will achieve in every community across our country- investing in Britain so we can grow our economy, and put an end to fourteen years of decline under the Conservatives.”

Alongside investing in ports, Miliband has confirmed that a Labour Government will back investments in clean energy in Cumbria through its British Jobs Bonus, which will crowd in tens of billions of pounds in investment from the private sector by rewarding clean energy developers who invest in good jobs and supply chains in industrial heartlands and energy communities such as across the region.

Labour’s plans also include accelerating new nuclear, including SMRs and would continue to support jobs in decommissioning and the nuclear industry in the area. Labour believes that Cumbria has the potential for new national nuclear power projects.

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