Cumbria’s MPs have spoken out after the decision by the High Court to quash permission for the first UK coal mine in 30 years.

The High Court sided with Friends of the Earth and South Lakeland Action on Climate Change that the planning application.

Subsequent approval had not taken the emissions from burning fossil fuels, not just the emissions produced during extraction into consideration.

This comes from the Supreme Court’s ruling in the “Finch v Surrey County Council” case.

Whitehaven and Workington MP, Josh MacAlister, and Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron, have expressed that it came as a ‘surprise to no one’ and ‘welcome news’ to ‘environmentally backwards plans’.

Josh MacAlister said that The High Court’s finding ‘comes as a surprise to no one’ that the decision on the coal mine was “legally flawed”.

He then said: “The Tories knew it themselves, which is why they were against it before they were for it. They made a cynical political decision to back it, not one based on a sound proposition or any care for our community.

“It’s the latest in a long list of messes the Tories left for someone else to clean up.”

He then went on to say he was clear about his view on the coal mine before the election and that it hasn’t changed since then.

That he had “always been skeptical” about whether the business case stacked up for a product that there is no domestic market for as the UK’ virgin steel-making capability is reduced.

He continued: “The jobs the mine promised to create would be wholly reliant on a volatile global export market in which prices for coking coal are trending downwards. They wouldn’t have lasted and then local families would have been let down again.”

The Whitehaven and Workington MP then outlined his vision for the constituency saying he wants “well-paid, high quality, long-term jobs in the industries of the future, not the past” to “diversify, strengthen and grow West Cumbria’s economy in a meaningful and lasting way.”

He then said: “That’s why I published my own industrial plan for West Cumbria before the election and why I’ve been working flat out since being elected as your MP to fight for those opportunities to come to our area – new nuclear, renewable energy projects, a major expansion of the Port of Workington to attract new industrial and advanced manufacturing jobs. That’s where our future lies.

“The election was a chance to turn the page on the cynical and short-termist approach adopted by the Tories, offering our area scraps off the table that they knew wouldn’t come to fruition.

“People voted for change and a government committed to creating a stable economy and long-term growth. That’s what I’ll continue to work to deliver for the people of West Cumbria.”

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron, who’s constituency is home to the South Lakeland Action on Climate Change, said it is “extremely welcome news that these environmentally backwards plans have finally been consigned to the dustbin where they belong”.

“The environmental case and business case for this mine were deeply flawed, giving false hope to the people of West Cumbria. Rather than pushing this false hope, the previous Conservative Government should have been planning for long-term high quality renewable jobs on this site – but they failed to do so,” the MP said.

“What we need to see now from the new Government is to swiftly make up for the Conservatives’ failure and provide immediate significant investment into long-term jobs in renewable energy in West Cumbria such as tidal.”

West Cumbria Mining told the Herdwick News: “West Cumbria Mining will consider the implications of the High Court judgement and has no comment to make at this time.”

While Cumberland Council has been contacted for comment.