IF you had said, six months ago, that Jeremy Corbyn would be the next leader of the Labour Party, you would have been laughed at.

It’s symptomatic of how quickly everything can change in politics that, when the result was finally announced, no-one seemed surprised.

It’s easy to point fingers at some of the people Mr Corbyn has associated with over the years, drag up some of his old quotes or screen-grab footage of him not singing the national anthem to suggest that he is unfit to lead the country.

But Mr Corbyn has said that he wants a debate on the issues – and that is fair.

He has come out very strongly against civil nuclear power.

Leaving aside that this is the only feasible technology which will both keep our lights on while delivering a low carbon future, the impact would be very damaging for Warrington.

‘I hope that Mr Corbyn’s views do not gain traction within Labour.

There is a risk that this would consign us all to the dark ages’ More than 3,500 highly paid, highly skilled jobs exist in our town based on the civil nuclear industry.

It is of great importance to our prosperity that this continues.

Mr Corbyn cites the expense of decommissioning and storing waste as a reason for rejecting nuclear.

He is correct that the costs are eye-watering, but what he fails to take account of is that, even if every nuclear power station were turned off tomorrow, around 90 per cent of that cost would still have to be paid in order to deal with existing waste.

Modern reactors are producing less and less waste, so the marginal cost of storing new waste is negligible.

The alternative is to go down the same path Germany is following, a massive expansion of coal generation and very high per capita emissions.

If we are serious about cutting our carbon emissions, and equally committed to keeping prices at levels that are competitive for industry and affordable for low income households, nuclear has to be part of the solution.

Frankly, the Government has moved too slowly. I hope that Mr Corbyn’s views do not gain traction within Labour. There is a risk that this would consign us all to the dark ages.