Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has repeated his pledge to reverse the SNP’s ideological opposition to nuclear power.
Speaking ahead of a visit to Torness Nuclear Plant in Dunbar, Mr Sarwar said the SNP’s “student politics and dated views” on nuclear power are standing in the way of jobs, investment, and energy security for Scotland.
His latest comments come after Chancellor Rachel Reeves committed £14.2 billion to build the Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk ahead of a commitment to a series of smaller modular reactors.
The Sizewell project will create 10,000 jobs locally and in the supply chain across the UK. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband hailed a ‘golden age’ of nuclear to boost the UK’s energy security.
In Scotland, the SNP government has refused to invest in new nuclear, insisting that wind, wave, hydrogen and tidal energy is the way forward.
Responsibility for energy is reserved to Westminster, but Holyrood has control over planning and environmental regulations and has consistently obstructed any move to build nuclear plants in Scotland.
Torness in East Lothian is the only nuclear plant still operating in Scotland but it is expected to close by 2028.
Today Anas Sarwar repeated his commitment to allowing Scotland to join the race to be a ‘nuclear energy superpower’ and unlock billions of pounds of investment.
“The global race towards clean power is on and I firmly believe Scotland should be at the forefront of it,” he said.
“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 [Russian leader] 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.”
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