Credit Where It's Due: Jill Mortimer's Unsung Role in Securing Hartlepool's 2,500-Job Nuclear Boom...

Hartlepool Labour MP Brash Inherits a Ready-Made Opportunity, as The Unsung Hero of Hartlepool’s Nuclear Future never gets a mention...

16th Sep 2025

In a week that should be a moment of excitement for Teesside, Hartlepool's been thrust into the spotlight as the birthplace of the UK's first advanced modular reactors (AMRs).

The landmark £10 billion deal between Centrica and US-based X-Energy promises up to 12 cutting-edge nuclear units based in Hartlepool, potentially powering up to 1.5 million homes and unlocking 2,500 high-skilled jobs over the project's lifespan.

It's the kind of transformative news that could redefine Hartlepool's economic future, building on the nuclear heritage of the existing power station. Local Labour MP Jonathan Brash however has been quick to claim the victory for this recent development, posting triumphantly on social media about his "flat out" efforts since taking office in July 2024. "I've been working flat out on this since the day I was elected," he declared, framing the announcement as his personal game-changer for the town.

Whilst it's heartening to see cross-party enthusiasm for such a vital project, a closer look at the timeline of these events reveals a rather different story—one where the real groundwork was actually laid long before Brash's arrival as MP for Hartlepool.

It was under the conservatives that the proposals for an AMR were to be brought in with the then Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer spearheading that campaign

That credit belongs to Hartlepool's former Conservative MP, Jill Mortimer, whose relentless advocacy turned a bold idea into a funded reality.

Hartlepool has long been synonymous with nuclear energy, but as the current AGR station nears the end of its extended life in 2026, the need for next-generation tech has been urgent. Jill Mortimer, who from the moment she became MP for Hartlepool in 2021 after Labours disastrous effort, made advanced nuclear her mission. As early as January 2022, Jill was championing small modular reactors (SMRs) and AMRs in Westminster Hall debates, arguing passionately for their role in bolstering UK energy security and creating jobs in coastal communities such as Hartlepool.

By late 2023, X-Energy's multi-billion-pound proposal for a fleet of 12 AMRs at Hartlepool was laid on the table—a "huge opportunity" for the region, as Mortimer described it.

She didn't stop at words. In January 2024, during the government's Civil Nuclear Roadmap announcement, Mortimer grilled ministers in the House of Commons, securing explicit commitments to explore AMR sites including Hartlepool. Her lobbying then paid off spectacularly in April 2024, when X-Energy received £3.34 million from the government's Future Nuclear Enabling Fund specifically to advance the Hartlepool plans.

"I am absolutely delighted to see the pathway for AMRs in the UK starting to unfold," Mortimer said at the time, emphasising how the funding would "extend the economic benefits of Hartlepool Power Station's lifespan." Just two months later, in February 2024, she rallied local leaders—including business figures and council officials—to co-sign a letter urging the government to fast-track the bid, ensuring Hartlepool stayed front and centre.

Jill Mortimer fought for the extension of the lifespan of the current nuclear reactor at Hartlepool

Mortimer's efforts weren't just talk; they were strategic bridge-building in order to ensure the proposals moved forward. She connected X-Energy with key stakeholders, advocated for policy support in Parliament, and even extended the life of the existing station to buy time for this transition. By July 2024, when she handed over the reins to Brash after a narrow election defeat, the project was no longer a pipe dream—it was funded, planned, and gaining momentum.

Brash Inherits a Winning Blueprint

Mr Brash 'got lucky' in inheriting a project that was almost signed sealed & delivered by his predecessor

Fast-forward to this week's announcement, and it's clear the Centrica-X-Energy pact is the culmination of that pre-election momentum. Brash, to his credit, has no doubt kept the lines of communication open with industry partners during his 14 months in office. But as one local commenter noted on social media amid the celebrations: "Jill Mortimer definitely should be taking credit for this."

Even Mortimer herself, in a poignant post-election reflection, expressed hope that her successor would "continue my work and ensure that Hartlepool gets the proposed AMR following the funding we have secured."

She even offered to assist in the handover— a testament to her commitment beyond party lines. However, In politics, it's tempting to rewrite history with fresh victories, but the facts speak volumes. The AMR deal's roots trace back to Jill Mortimer's tenure, from initial debates to the millions secured in public funding. Brash stepped into a race that was already running; his role has been merely to sprint it across the finish line, but the starting gun was fired by his predecessor meaning he really had little (if any) work to do to move it across the finish line.

This isn't about scoring partisan points—it's about honouring the quiet persistence that turns visions into jobs, security into prosperity. Hartlepool's nuclear revival could inject £12 billion into the local economy, safeguarding livelihoods for generations.

And as we celebrate the news, locals may want to raise a glass not just to today's headlines, but to the trailblazers like Conservatives Jill Mortimer who mapped the path for Hartlepool's nuclear future, with the guy who took over the role as MP merely the one giving it the one final shove.