The UK’s opposition Labour Party is open to the construction of new nuclear power plants, such as Sizewell C in Suffolk, in a bid to hit the country’s net zero targets if it is economically sound, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said.

Mr Miliband, who led the Labour Party from 2010 to 2015, told i newspaper that plans to build Generation III EPR plants at Sizewell C in southeast England could be backed by Labour if it is deemed viable.

“We’re open to new nuclear,” Mr Miliband said. “It’s about having a plan, and looking at the economics of it. We’ll assess any proposals that the Government comes forward with.”

He called on the government to produce plans for nuclear energy and urged prime minister Boris Johnson to usher in a “green recovery” from the Covid-19 pandemic.