Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash says: 'We need rapid decisions on new nuclear'

At the time, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg argued that investing in new nuclear power wasn’t worthwhile because it “wouldn’t come online until 2022”.

When the energy crisis struck that very same year, the average UK household saw their disposable income shrink by around 9% due to soaring energy bills, largely because of our reliance on foreign oil and gas.

The previous government's failure to invest in our energy security was a short-sighted and abject betrayal of our national interest, leaving us hopelessly exposed to geopolitical instability.

The recent decision to extend the life of our nuclear power station is welcome.

This facility accounts for a third of our economic footprint, contributes millions in business rates annually, and provides hundreds of jobs in our town.

Additionally, it runs a fantastic apprenticeship programme, ensuring that our nuclear skills base is secured for future generations.

However, the decisions to invest in new nuclear technology should have been made years ago.

Now it falls to me and my Labour colleagues to catch up and finalise a deal.

I’m not wasting any time. Even before my election, I began working with X-Energy, and last week I met with their CEO, Clay Sell, to discuss our shared vision for Hartlepool’s future.

Clay, a former deputy secretary of energy in the George W Bush Administration, is now working with me, ministers, and officials in the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero to secure a deal that could bring billions of investment to our town through the introduction of Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) at the Hartlepool site.

AMRs are a game-changing technology that can produce clean energy while decarbonisation our industrial cluster, positioning us as a magnet for further investment.

These negotiations are tough but I am committed to getting this deal done to ensure our town’s economic prosperity. I know Clay shares this commitment.

Hartlepool's residents take pride in our industrial heritage.

We remember when Hartlepool, as the third largest port in the country, powered the British economy.

I want Hartlepool to feel that pride again as we work together to power our country’s future.