The Liberal Democrat candidate for the Copeland by-election has criticised the Government for “putting local jobs at risk” if its leaves an influential nuclear organisation.

Rebecca Hanson says a decision by the UK to pull out of the European Atomic Energy Community (or Euratom) – proposed this week as part of the Brexit process – would threaten jobs in the nuclear industry in Copeland.

Euratom promotes research into nuclear power and safety standards, and experts have raised concerns about the implications of the UK’s withdrawal.

Mrs Hanson said: “Being part of Euratom is vital for the nuclear industry that so many local jobs depend on. The government’s plans to yank the UK out of Euratom would create huge uncertainty and put jobs at risk by delaying plans for new nuclear power stations.

“The Government’s callous attitude towards this vital local industry shows the Conservatives have lost the right to call themselves the party of business. Only the Liberal Democrats are standing up for local jobs by fighting to stay in the Single Market and maintain vital European co-operation.”

Mrs Hanson, a campaigner for the West Cumberland Hospital, has also criticised health chiefs over a report claiming that a four-hour journey is safe for women in labour. “There is no precedent for the proposed travel times for women in labour in Copeland; both the medical rationale and the evidence show that they’re extremely unsafe,” she said.