REFORM UK’s plan to revive coal mining in Wales shows that Nigel Farage is “going backwards”, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The Prime Minister told GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope: “I want to go forward, not backwards. And Nigel Farage is going backwards.
“The future is in renewables, in clean power, where we have complete control over our energy. And I’m really pleased with this announcement today, which is a huge project.
“We haven’t done a project like this [Sizewell C] in this country for 30 years. China and France have been doing it, but not Britain, and I want Britain to be making sure that we’ve got the secure energy of the future.
“This is 10 years’ worth of jobs, 10,000 jobs here at this college in Suffolk. You can see, for the apprentices, it’s their future that is tied up with this project.
“Of course, there’s the small modular reactor announcement from Rolls Royce as well, a real statement of intent that we’re going to take control of our own energy. That means independence, security and driving down those energy prices.
“So, we’re looking forward. Nigel Farage, I’m afraid, is looking backwards.”
Asked if changes to police funding in the Spending Review will make people less safe, he said: “No, we’ll be more safe. There’s money going into policing, into security, and that is really important, particularly coming from my background – I was chief prosecutor for five years, prosecuting cases across England and Wales.
“This is a core belief of mine, those extra police officers will be neighbourhood police officers, and I think that will give people the reassurance in their communities that they are safe and security as individuals, as families, as communities.
“But tomorrow, the Spending Review is also about huge investment in the future of our country. You saw last week the Strategic Defence Review, huge investment. You saw what we doing on preschool meals. No government has ever done that before.
“And today, the investment in Sizewell on the future of our energy in this country. So this is what we do to drive our country forward, the sort of investment we haven’t seen for a very, very long time.”
Asked if would apologise for the government’s U-turn on pensioners’ winter fuel payments, he said: “The
decision we made on winter fuel in the Budget was the right decision.
“We had to stabilise the economy, and we’ve done that. As a result of that, by the way, we committed to the triple lock, something the Tories haven’t done, and that means £470 went on to pensions in April. Hugely important.
“I’m pleased that we’re able to do this now. More pensioners will be eligible. It was important the decision was made this week, because the costing will obviously be in the Budget, quite right too. But we need to make it this week so that everybody knows where they stand.
“But most importantly, the system can be put in place to make those payments this winter, so I’m really pleased to be able to do that.”
