The MP for Stockton North, Chris McDonald, has said that the West Cumbrian Coal Mine ‘would not have saved the day’ and the decision not to pursue it was based on economic not ‘romantic’ reasons.

On Saturday, April 11, Prime Minister Keir Starmer recalled parliament to push through legislation that allows the government to intervene in British Steel.

Following the announcement the government then secured the resources needed to keep the Scunthorpe furnaces running, leading people to question the West Cumbria Mine decision, as coke was needed.

The Stockton North MP, who has 25 years experience in steel production has come out and explained why West Cumbrian coal is not the answer, supported by his Whitehaven and Workington colleague, Josh MacAlister.

READ MORE: Cumbrian MP backs ‘historic and decisive action’ on British Steel that protects jobs

Chris McDonald said: “As Parliament is recalled to legislate for the future of British Steel, some are once again pointing to the proposed West Cumbria coal mine as a missed opportunity.

“Let’s be clear: the mine would not have saved the day. In fact, it’s a distraction from the real decisions we need to make to secure our steel industry.

“I spent 25 years in steel. I’ve worked on projects exploring domestic sources of coal, iron ore and limestone.

“I know how procurement decisions are made – and I know how seriously steel companies take them.

“Every decision is based on safety, cost, performance, and regulatory compliance. These are not romantic calculations. They are economic ones.”

He then went on to explain why Cumbria’s coal is not useful to the British steel market.

“The truth is that the coal from West Cumbria was always of limited use to UK steelmakers due to its high sulphur content.

“That’s not opinion – it’s outlined in Wood Mackenzie’s own report to Cumbria County Council. High sulphur coal damages steel quality, increases costs, and breaches environmental regulations.

“Wood Mackenzie assumed this coal could be blended with lower sulphur coals. But they missed two key points.

“First, the types of coal available for blending, particularly Australian coal, don’t have low enough sulphur levels to offset Cumbria’s.

“Second, UK environmental regulations at Scunthorpe apply not just to the blend, but to individual coal inputs.

“Even if that hurdle could be cleared, the reality is that British steelmakers don’t need coal.

“They need coke. And with no coke ovens currently operating in the UK, Cumbria’s coal would have to be shipped abroad, converted to coke, and shipped back. That’s not energy security – it’s economic nonsense.

“Even in a hypothetical world where sulphur isn’t an issue, the mine is operational, and we’ve rebuilt our coke capacity, coke itself requires a blend of up to 10 coal types.

“We would still be reliant on the international market for 90 percent of our supply.”

Chris McDonald then looked the future and what needs to be done now.

“This debate has been clouded by commentators with no real understanding of the steel industry. Their opinions don’t reflect the reality on the ground.

“What matters now is supporting the teams at places like Scunthorpe. Procurement specialists, engineers and blast furnace operators who are working tirelessly to keep our steel industry alive.”

READ MORE: Whitehaven Coal Mine: Opposition ‘delighted’ as Cumbrian MP welcomes ‘backwards plans’ consigned to ‘rubbish bin’

Had the mine in West Cumbria been approved it would have been the first coal mine in the UK for 30 years but a Supreme Court decision on September 13, 2024 rejected the application.