A RADIO show based on questions being asked to a panel of people visited Carlisle.

Called Any Questions, it is a BBC Radio 4 show hosted by journalist Chris Mason, and was hosted at Carlisle College on Friday, November 4, with the panel consisting of: Copeland MP Trudy Harrison; Labour Mayor of North of Tyne, Jamie Driscoll; Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West Christine Jardine and; GB news Political Correspondent Tom Harwood.

The first question asked was by Nick Turner, who said: "If coal has had its day, why are we contemplating the new mine in Cumbria?"

Jamie responded: "The justification for this is it will create job, but there are many other ways to create jobs.

"We've invested about £69 million across North Tyne, creating around 4,500 in wind turbines, all green jobs, and all sort of other jobs can be created."

Trudy Harrison responded: "We;re going to use a lot of steel in transport as we decarbonise in forthcoming years, and I think the Prime Minister and leaders at COP26 have done a great job in phasing out coal power, that's the distinction, thermal coal for power station has no future, this is about coking coal for the steel industry."

Trudy explained we will need coking coal, and carbon in general, to create new steel, and we should stop importing both coking coal and steel.

Carlisle and District Councillor for the Green Party, Helen Davison, asked the panel: "Do you have any faith in COP26 to bring the massive transformation we need to tackle the climate and environmental emergency, and if not, what do we do to leave a future for our children?"

Taking issue with the question was Tom Harwood, who said that while climate change is real and will have real effects, it will not drive humanity to extinction.

Trudy Harrison agreed saying we need "environmental optimism".

Adding that her department has put out a plan that will tackle all aspects of transport, most importantly involving the phasing out of selling petrol and diesel cars.

To listen to the full show, visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00114v4.