It follows intense pressure by scientists and campaigners who warned it would undermine the Government's hopes of progress when it hosts the international Cop26 climate change talks in Glasgow later this year. Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Tony Bosworth said it was "a startling, but very welcome U-turn" after ministers had previously resisted calls to intervene in the application. Workington MP Mark Jenkinson accused ministers of a "capitulation to climate change alarmists". "The truth is that this mine is terrible for our fight against climate change, won't help our steel industry and won't create secure jobs," he said. Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said allowing the mine to go ahead would be would be "an almighty backwards step" in the fight against climate change.

Source: Daily Mirror March 12, 2021 07:33 UTC