Scottish Labour says SNP ban on nuclear power should end
Speaking ahead of a visit to Torness Nuclear Plant in Dunbar, Mr Sarwar has said that the SNP's 'Student politics and dated views' on nuclear power are standing in the way of jobs, investment, and energy security for Scotland.
Mr Sarwar's intervention comes as the UK Labour government has announced tens of billions of pounds of investment in new nuclear projects to secure our energy security and to deliver new high-skilled jobs.
Today Mr Sarwar has said that a Scottish Labour government would allow Scotland to join the race to be a 'nuclear energy superpower' and unlock billions of pounds of investment.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar MSP said: 'The global race towards clean power is on and I firmly believe Scotland should be at the forefront of it.
'Investing in clean power will not only deliver lower bills, but will create quality jobs and strengthen our energy security so we are no longer subject to the whims of tyrants like Putin.
'Communities elsewhere in the UK are set to reap the benefits of nuclear power, but the SNP is stopping Scotland from doing the same.
'John Swinney could unlock millions of pounds of investment in Scotland with the stroke of a pen by lifting his party's ideological ban on nuclear power, but he refuses.
'A Scottish Labour government would ditch the SNP's damaging ban, unlock billions of pounds of investment and get Scotland in the race to become a nuclear energy superpower.'
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The Scottish Government is focussed on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland's immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear energy which takes decades to build, creates toxic waste which is difficult and costly to dispose of and does not generate power at a cost that will bring down energy bills."
The Herald has teamed up with the East Lothian Courier for an in-depth series, The Future of Torness. Our team of journalists has worked together to look at everything from the current state and safety of Torness to ideas for its future, from decommissioning to fresh new options for the site.
We will also look at what closure will mean for the many people in the area who have worked there, sometimes over decades, and been part of what the plant calls 'the Torness family'.
We'll ask the big Torness questions. How safe are its aging and cracked reactors? How do new apprentices feel about their future in a Scotland where nuclear is considered not an option? What is it like to spend a day in the plant? What happens to the site when it stops generating power? And does Torness itself tell us anything about whether Scotland should grasp or reject the idea of new nuclear?
Join us next week, on June 26, in both The Herald and East Lothian Courier.
Subscribe to The Herald here for exclusive access to the series.
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