Boris Johnson could clash with backbenchers over coalmine
March 13, 2021, 12:07 pm

Boris Johnson could clash with backbenchers over coalmine

Many Tories are dismayed at the uncertainty over a project its supporters say would create 500 jobs, and support 2,000 more.

Tory MPs and local leaders in Cumbria are furious over decision to put plans for new deep mine on hold

Boris Johnson is on a potential collision course with backbench MPs and local Conservative leaders amid a furious Tory response to the decision to put a hold on plans to create a controversial new coalmine in Cumbria.

While environmental groups hailed the decision to call in the application for government consideration as long overdue, and Labour called for a longer-term plan for green jobs in the region, many Tories are dismayed at the uncertainty over a scheme its supporters say would create 500 jobs and support 2,000 more in supply chains.

Mark Jenkinson, the MP for Workington in Cumbria – one of many traditionally Labour seats to change hands in the 2019 general election – said anger over the planned mine near Whitehaven “cannot be understated”. “This represents a complete reversal of the position taken just eight weeks ago, and a capitulation to climate alarmists,” he said in a statement.

Mike Starkie, the Conservative mayor of Copeland in Cumbria, said proper focus had not been placed on the fact that the mine was intended to produce coking coal for use in the steel industry. “We’re going to need steel to drive forward the green agenda – if you’re wanting to build windfarms, nuclear power stations, they all need steel,” he told the BBC. “And the demand for coking coal is going to be there right through to 2050.”

In contrast, environmental groups said the decision by the communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, to take responsibility for the scheme away from the local authority was obvious, particularly ahead of Glasgow hosting the pivotal Cop26 climate conference in November.

An artist’s impression of the proposed deep coalmine in west Cumbria near Whitehaven

A new coalmine in Cumbria would “destroy the UK government’s credibility” ahead of the summit, Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Tony Bosworth said.

International pressure on the government over the mine was ratcheted up earlier this week when John Kerry, the former US secretary of state who is now the county’s climate change envoy, used a visit to London to praise the UK for phasing out coal use.

Officials were refusing to say why Jenrick intervened, having declined to do so before, citing the fact that the calling of the planning application is a quasi-judicial process. A communities department source said Jenrick’s decision was based largely on the need to consider new recommendations from the climate change committee, which advises the UK government, and on the fact that Cumbria county council had been unable to reach a clear decision about the project.

There will now be an inquiry led by the Planning Inspectorate, with Cumbria county council asked to provide information on how the mine would be consistent with “meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change”.

The political ramifications remain fraught for Johnson, not least because the local MP for the proposed mine, Trudy Harrison, is his parliamentary private secretary, a role in which MPs act as an unpaid aide and backbench liaison lead for ministers.

The Northern Research Group (NRG), a powerful lobby of about 50 backbench Tories, has not yet spoken out about Jenrick’s decision, but is a strong supporter of the mine. In February, dozens of NRG MPs, alongside local Tories, condemned Labour’s opposition to the plan.

Labour’s shadow business secretary, Ed Miliband, argued on Friday that the mine would not create secure jobs and that the government was “peddling false solutions” for the steel industry. Instead, he said, ministers should invest in efforts to help the steel industry decarbonise, delivering long-term jobs.

The sentiment was not shared throughout Labour. Emma Williamson, a Labour councillor for Kells and Sandwith in Whitehaven, said she was “absolutely gutted” at the decision and what it would mean for jobs and investment. “I’m really concerned that this is the end of the road for the mine,” she said. “I’m concerned because my community needs these jobs and these investments, especially after the year we have had around Covid.”

Williamson said her community was fully behind the mine, not just for the prospect for investments and training, but also the sense of community it may bring, and the opportunities for young people. She said: “I work really closely with a local group of ex-miners, and they’ve often relayed such fond memories of the camaraderie that the mine brought to our community. It didn’t just bring jobs and investment, but it also brought family together and community spirit. That’s why we’re so supportive of this, and we really need this lift.”

But Marianne Birkby, founder of Radiation Free Lakeland, which opposes the mine in part because of its proximity to the Sellafield nuclear waste site, said Jenrick’s decision was “fantastic news”. “Arguably the greater and far more visceral threat from this mine is that it is close to Sellafield, and the mine would be directly underneath decades of radioactive waste,” she said.

Gerard Richardson, a local business owner, said that he found the decision “ridiculously frustrating”. “This is an area that badly needs investment. This was a rare piece of genuine investment in west Cumbria and it could have been a starting point for so much more. It really is truthful to say that the majority of the campaigners are from outside of London.”

source: Tobi Thomas

Levant

Sarah Everard: Reclaim These Streets vigil in south London cancelled, organisers say Human rights violations are the regime’s only means of survival

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.