Government's Sizewell C backing shows Putin he 'can't put his boot on our throat', says Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer said his government's commitment to the Sizewell C showed there would be no more 'dithering' about backing nuclear power - and ensure Vladimir Putin "can't put his boot on our throat".
The prime minister said the 'change of mindset' would help free the UK from reliance on international fossil fuel markets and prevent price spikes such as those in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves signed off on £14.2bn of investment to build the new Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk, while Rolls-Royce has been named as the preferred bidder to build SMRs in a programme backed by £2.5 billion of taxpayers' cash.
Speaking at a college in Ipswich, Sir Keir said successive governments had 'dithered and delayed' over nuclear power.
He said: 'The last reactor was 1995, 30 years ago, and I think that was Sizewell B.
'So here, to put this down today, is really important. It's not just an important decision for the future, it's a change of mindset.
'No more dithering, no more delay, no more being unclear about what we're going to do, a real statement of intent as we go forward.'
He added: 'Having our own energy in this country that we control, gives us security, gives us independence, so Putin can't put his boot on our throat.
'And it means that we can control the prices in a way that we haven't been able to in recent years, which has meant very high prices for businesses, for households and for families.'
The chancellor confirmed the government would back the new nuclear plant on the Suffolk coast to the tune of £14.2bn - although it has been unable to confirm full financing for the project and issue a Final Investment Decision.
Trade unions welcomed the Sizewell move, which the Treasury said would go towards creating 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships.
Nuclear plants are seen as increasingly important electricity sources as the government tries to decarbonise Britain's grid by 2030, replacing fossil fuels with green power.
The joint managing directors of Sizewell C, Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, said: 'Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Sizewell C, the UK's first British-owned nuclear power plant in over 30 years.'
EDF has already signed £330m worth of contracts with local businesses.
The plant, which will power the equivalent of six million homes, is planned to be operational in the 2030s.
The GMB union said giving Sizewell C the go-ahead was 'momentous'.
Regional secretary Warren Kenny said: 'Sizewell C will provide thousands of good, skilled, unionised jobs and we look forward to working closely with the government and Sizewell C to help secure a greener future for this country's energy sector.'
But the head of a campaign group opposing the plant criticised the decision to commit the funding, saying it is still not clear what the total cost will be as the final investment decision has not yet been announced and the government is still seeking private investment.
Alison Downes, of Stop Sizewell C, said ministers had not 'come clean' about the full cost of the project, which the group have previously estimated could exceed £40bn.
The £14.2bn comes on top of £3.7bn already committed to the project.
Ms Downes said: 'With the continued secrecy about Sizewell C's total cost, how can voters decide whether the £18bn pledged to Sizewell C is a good use of their money?
'There is no dispute the project will add to consumer bills during construction, and it is virtually guaranteed to be late and overspent just like Hinkley C.'
Officials hope SMRs will be cheaper and quicker to build than traditional power plants, and projects could be connected to the grid by the mid-2030s.
Speaking at the GMB union's congress in Brighton, Ms Reeves said: 'The UK is back where it belongs, taking the lead in the technologies of tomorrow.
'This Labour government is investing in the biggest rollout of nuclear power in a generation.'
The SMR project could support up to 3,000 new skilled jobs and power the equivalent of around three million homes, with a first site expected to be allocated later this year by state-owned Great British Energy – Nuclear.
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