PREVIOUSLY unseen government documents have emerged that ‘contradict’ the government’s case for a new coal mine in Cumbria and blows a 'gaping hole' in their argument, according to campaigners at Friends of the Earth.

The new documents appear to show the then-Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) taking a different position over the feasibility of UK steel decarbonisation to that expressed by Michael Gove, when he approved planning permission for the proposed mine.

Woodhouse Colliery was supposed to help shore up the British steel industry by producing coking coal for use in heavy industry.

However, the documents indicate 'high certainty' in the success of decarbonisation through technologies like electric arc furnaces by 2035, allegedly lowering the need for coking coal in the UK steel industry.

“This new information blows a gaping hole in the government’s case for supporting the proposed Cumbria coal mine,” Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said.

“When Michael Gove approved the mine 14 months ago, he claimed it was needed because there was huge uncertainty over UK steel’s ability to decarbonise over the next 15 years.

“Now we discover that at the same time, government officials had high certainty about the industry’s move away from coal.

“This just compounds the confusion over the government’s policy on steel.

“On one hand the government claims the UK steel industry needs coal for decades to come, and on the other it is offering hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to help the industry rapidly decarbonise.

“This muddled government thinking must end.

“Ministers must withdraw support for the unnecessary and destructive Cumbria mine and put areas like West Cumbria at the heart of a green industrial strategy, creating new jobs and business opportunities as part of building the cleaner future we urgently need.”

Friends of the Earth’s stance has been backed by Carlisle Green Party candidate, Gavin Hawkton.

“Rather than engaging in populism and pointless culture war nonsense, our local MPs should be putting Cumberland at the very heart of a national green industrial revolution to generate cheap clean renewable energy, create jobs and generate much needed investment here,” said Mr Hawkton.

Those who have welcomed the decision say the mine will create jobs and opportunity in the area and the scheme has been backed by local Conservative politicians.

Mike Starkie, the former mayor of Copeland in Cumbria, said that the mine was “the biggest announcement in generations” and will “bring jobs, prospects and opportunity to the people of west Cumbria and the people of west Cumbria are going to be grateful for generations”.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities declined to comment.