Cumbria coalmine plan is ‘backward step’, says Alok Sharma

Tory party's most respected figure on climate says mine will damage UK's international reputation as well as environment

Tory division over green policy deepened last night when the party's climate change champion said a proposed new coalmine on the outskirts of Whitehaven in Cumbria would send completely the wrong signal" about the fight against climate breakdown.

Before an imminent decision on the mine's future, expected this week, Alok Sharma, whose presidency of Cop26 ended last month, made clear his opposition to any move to approve the venture.