Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, commenting on the bankruptcy of Westinghouse said:

“This announcement throws into doubt the Moorside new nuclear plant that could create 20,000 jobs in Cumbria.  

“Questions have been raised over Toshiba’s role in Moorside for some time.

“When Westinghouse’s viability was first called into question, Labour said the Government should step in to underwrite the company’s investment if the project was at significant risk of collapsing. Unfortunately, the Government dragged its heels.

“The Government must now urgently provide assurances about the future of Moorside. Relying on the private sector alone, in absence of a robust contractual legal structure, has failed. 

“If this government is at all serious about delivering its industrial strategy, it must act swiftly to ensure the security of our energy supply and guarantee the creation of thousands of highly-skilled and well-paid jobs that communities in Cumbria need and deserve.”