THE current situation with the building of Hinkley Point C has been branded "nonsense" by the chairman of Highbridge Chamber of Trade.

Mike Murphy has revealed that he believes that "the French government are holding a gun to the head of the British government."

His comments come after the French government stressed its commitment to building Britain’s first new nuclear power station in a generation, at Hinkley Point.

There has been uncertainty over whether the state-owned French power company EDF will sign off on the £18 billion project for Hinkley C.

However Emmanuel Macron, the French economy minister, told the BBC that rubber-stamping the contract would be “very important” for France and the company and hinted that progress will be made in the near future.

In view of this, Mike said: "I personally think it's dreadful at this late stage that the French government are holding a gun to the head of the British government.

"It seems the contractor are playing a strange game and are saying they'll put money in and have talks and are asking Britain what their next move is.

"The British government should call the French government's bluff.

"We've got an agreement and they shouldn't be coming in with last minute, shadowy threats."

Mike also states that if France can't deliver, we should look elsewhere.

"If the French contractor can't deliver with what's been agreed then we should start the whole process again," he added.

"At this late stage it stinks and I know it's a tricky situation but it's nonsense, "I feel sorry for the people who are building the roads and everything tjere because yet another delay would be ridiculous."

The British Government has insisted that plans to build the Hinkley Point C reactor will go ahead and voiced its intention to commission additional nuclear plants before 2020.

Burnham and Highbridge Town Councillor Peter Burridge-Clayton believes the new revelation is "good news."

"It's certainly good news the French government are back Hinkley C," he said.

"There's already so much money gone into it and it's beneficial for the area as a lot of the training is being done at Bridgwater College.

"It will be excellent for our economy if it does happen and I think everybody's gearing up for it."