Opinion: Sizewell C is the answer to the UK’s economic, climate and energy woes

Given the failure and disaster that was Trussonomics, it is hardly surprising that the new government is considering spending cuts. Yet they are also looking at cutting capital spending on infrastructure, which is misreading the economic lessons of September and potentially creating long-term problems. The current government risks repeating the mistakes of previous ones by kicking the energy can down the road, yet again.For all his faults, Boris Johnson recognised that getting the United Kingdom’s energy mix right was vital to lowering the UK’s carbon emissions and limiting exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices. The government’s backing for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant is a key part of this agenda, one which Rishi Sunak has previously backed and even criticised Labour for not advancing when they were in office. Let’s hope this government doesn’t U-turn from their position last Friday, when they denied rumours that the project was being scrapped.Because had Labour taken the decision to build Hinkley Point C nuclear power station back in 2007 when it originally argued in favour of new nuclear being part of the UK’s energy mix, that station would already be online, on its way to generating 7 per cent of the UK’s power and replacing more of the gas that is costing the economy dearly.