Quote of the day 13th March 2021, from Dr. Stephen Haraldsen's Newsnight interview on the mine
"There's a very positive case to be made environmentally, socially and economically and I look forward to those of us in Cumbria making that case in the planning inquiry process."
(Councillor Dr. Stephen Haraldsen, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on Cumbria County Council, speaking on Newsnight in support of the West Cumbria Mining proposal.
You can view his interview here.)
Comments
https://www.miningweekly.com/article/minister-sees-compelling-reasons-to-block-uk-coal-mine-2021-03-17/rep_id:3650
Of course, any such statement would have given West Cumbria Mining a cast iron case to sue the government so you might argue that a reverse Mandy Rice Davies applies.
Of course, if he feels more strongly about it SoS BEIS has the power under Sect 6 of the Coal Act 1994 to call in the licence extension applications currently with the Coal Authority for determination.
That will succeed in kicking a second challenging decision into the lomg grass that lies beyond COP26.
We do have the date for the Inquiry and allowing for a month for the inspector to consider the evidence and the minister to then review the inspector's recommendations, that suggests that the decision has already effectively been deferred until shortly after the climate conference.