Polling for the Scottish election in May so far favours the independence-supporting (and anti-nuclear) parties to form a majority in Holyrood, though the exact composition of any government after the election remains unclear.
There has been a long-standing Scottish government policy banning new nuclear plants in Scotland. This is a sensible position given Scotland’s sizeable and growing generation of renewables, the exorbitant costs of nuclear projects and the yet-unaddressed issue of how to deal with nuclear waste.
Yet some political figures are attempting to make new nuclear an election issue in Scotland. UK energy minister Ed Miliband has raised the banner for nuclear firms to invest in Scotland if Scottish Labour form a government in Holyrood, and the lobby group Britain Remade have been trying to sculpt public opinion against the Scottish government’s policy by commissioning and publishing polls on nuclear power.
In mid-March, The Ferret published an investigation showing that Britain Remade had appointed two directors who previously worked for London PR firm Stonehaven. One of Stonehaven’s clients is EDF, the UK’s biggest nuclear firm and owner of Scotland’s last operational nuclear plant, Torness.
This along with other evidence in The Ferret’s investigation strongly indicates that, despite promoting itself as a “grassroots” organisation, Britain Remade is a well-financed and entirely astroturfed enterprise intended to manufacture public opinion in Scotland and improve the prospects of huge nuclear firms north of the border.
The upcoming Scottish election happens to coincide closely with the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, which took place on 26th April 1986. Marking this anniversary, Scottish CND will be hosting our annual webinar on nuclear power on Thursday 23rd April this year.
Join us as we host nuclear experts Linda Pentz Gunter, Pete Roche and Welsh campaigners from People Against Wylfa B to discuss the risks, opportunity costs and false promises of nuclear power ahead of an important Scottish election.
Scottish CND will be supporting and speaking at this important demonstration coordinated by anti-war and trade union organisations, calling for a break with disastrous US foreign policy. Just like Iraq and other disastrous US military misadventures, the war on Iran shows yet again that our interests do not align with those of Washington.
An energy crisis and enormous inflationary shock due to the Iranian retaliation is heading our way, yet the UK Prime Minister continues to support the US war by allowing bombing raids, and transit of US air forces through, English RAF bases towards Iran. This policy is expressly against the interests and will of people in Scotland, and the wider UK.
Join Scottish CND and a collective of other organisations on Saturday 11th of April to send the message: “Break from Trump”.
