Gnats U-turn on nuclear power

Well the honeymoon period for the Gnats so called "Scottish Government" is well and truly over, I'm pleased to say. For far too long this ill-assorted group of whingers, held together only by desire to destroy the Union, have been getting an easy ride from the Scottish media and, in particular, by the serious press (I can't with hand on heart call them quality press).

In the latest in a long line of broken promises, u-turns and flip-flops, they have now decided to approve British Energy's plans to extend the life of Hunterston B nuclear plant, which is 14 miles from my front door in Ayrshire, for 5 more years until 2016, with the possibility of another extension after that. A plant which incidentally, is only working at 60% capacity for safety reasons.

Here's what their 2007 manifesto had to say on nuclear power:

"No to Nuclear
As a starting point a Scotland led by the SNP will say no to new nuclear – power stations
or dumps. An SNP government will make clear that Scotland does not require a new nuclear
power station.

We will involve all of Scotland in the preparation of extensive and effective clean energy
legislation.

It is important for Scotland that we have comprehensive legislation to take forward our clean
energy ambitions. We will therefore bring together stakeholders on a cross-party and non-party
basis so that we can agree a joint approach to clean energy legislation and introduce a bill in the
second year of government that can attract a consensus in parliament."

Yes, yes, yes, I know that there is plenty of wriggle room in their but they have positioned themselves for years as being anti nuclear power and all behind green energy. It's quite pathetic that at the first test of their claims, they failed miserably.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not dogmatically anti-nuclear. If the nuclear power industry could safely reuse their waste for future energy production whilst keeping us safe from radioactive contamination, if we didn't have radioactive beaches in northern Scotland, if we did not use any nuclear materials for weapons, if we didn't have convoys of nuclear material criss- crossing the country, then, and only then, would I be willing to support nuclear energy. Until then I stick with the old adage that "the only safe fast breeder is a rabbit".