Rishi Sunak hails nuclear 'renaissance' by Tories as £20million funding boost unveiled

Rishi Sunak has told how a “renaissance in the nuclear industry” has been overseen by the Tories.

The Prime Minister visited BAE Systems Submarines in Barrow-in-Furness with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Monday after declaring a “critical national endeavour” to secure the nuclear industry’s future.

Mr Sunak said: “What we have seen under the Conservatives has been a renaissance in the nuclear industry and that’s because the Conservative Party is one that unequivocally backs nuclear power and our nuclear deterrent.

“That just hasn’t been the case under the last Labour government.

“These decisions do take time, but if you look at what’s happened since 2010, we have green-lighted Sizewell C (and) Hinkley Point, so two nuclear power stations, we are making progress on small modular reactors and we have recommitted to our nuclear deterrent and a new generation of nuclear submarines and a replacement warhead.

“All of that has happened under a Conservative Government.”

Mr Sunak’s comments were in response to nuclear minster Andrew Bowie who said the UK should have done more to boost nuclear power “years ago” and is “running to catch up”.

He said he made “no bones” about the fact the Government is making up for lost ground with new funds for skills and jobs aimed at shoring up Britain’s industry and easing Russia out of the market following the Ukraine war.

Mr Bowie said: “I make no bones about it, we should have done this years ago. We are running to catch up.

“But we have just this year delivered our civil nuclear road map, we have announced our intention to build a third gigawatt project, we are investing £350 million in new nuclear power to ease Vladimir Putin out of the nuclear fuels market, we are actually committed to delivering small modular reactors through our competition which will conclude this year.

“But of course this should have been done years ago, which is why we are having to take the action in the way that we are right now.”

Mr Sunak accused Labour of having a “basically equivocal relationship” with nuclear power, citing a lack of investment before 2010 and former leader Jeremy Corbyn’s opposition to the nuclear deterrent.

Firms including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, EDF and Babcock are partnering with the Government to invest around £763 million in skills, jobs and education for the defence and civil nuclear industries.

Mr Sunak announced a new fund backed by £20million of public money to support growth in Barrow-in-Furness, the Cumbrian town that is home to Britain’s nuclear submarine programme.

This will commit to a further £180 million a year over the next decade, which Downing Street says would provide grants to local organisations and improvements to transport and health outcomes in the area.

No 10 hopes the money will create more than 8,000 career opportunities to help fill 40,000 new roles by the end of the decade.

Mr Sunak has said the Government has already announced the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War and “recently topped up with billions of pounds to strengthen our nuclear enterprise and rebuild stockpiles”.

John Healey, Labour’s shadow defence secretary, welcomed the Government’s commitment but said Labour had “long argued” for ministers to secure jobs in Barrow and that Britain would be “better defended” under his party.

The Government also released its Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper on Monday which confirmed that it is developing a sovereign nuclear warhead for its Trident missiles – which are manufactured in the United States.

Fitted with the UK’s sovereign warhead, the Trident missile has a range of thousands of miles, ensuring the credibility and effectiveness of the deterrent

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The threats facing the UK and our allies are increasing in scale, complexity and diversity, which is why our nuclear deterrent is as important now as it has ever been.

“This Government has always been unequivocal in its support to the UK’s nuclear deterrence, which is foundational to our national security, but also brings huge employment and skills opportunities being realised right now across the country.”