Green MSP Questions John Home Robertson's Selective Recall on Torness
Tue., April 27, 2004. 00:00.
Chris Ballance, Green MSP for the South of Scotland, has expressed his 'surprise' at John Home Robertson's declaration during a parliamentary debate on energy that he had been 'consistently in favour' of Torness.
Mr Ballance said, 'I was more than a little surprised when John Home Robertson flatly refuted the suggestion that he has been anything other than an ardent supporter of the Torness project. Can he have forgotten his stirring words delivered to a rally at Torness in 1986 when he declared: 'I can tell you with complete confidence that if the Labour Party was in power today there would be no question of commissioning Torness now. The overwhelming majority of people in East Lothian and Berwickshire are very worried indeed about the possibility of an accident at the site and I share that concern.'
'I do not know when John Home Robertson lost his concern, but I do not think that the people of Scotland have lost their concern about the dangers of nuclear power. However, it is not just a matter of the dangers of nuclear power - it is about the economic case, as well. British Energy has had to be bailed out by the Government to the tune of £650 million. That bail-out has been questioned by the European Commission on the basis that it may be illegal. 'Nuclear is an expensive short-term and short-sighted energy fix with financial and environmental implications for countless generations to come. I would hope that John Home Robertson will rediscover his good sense and decide once again that he is in fact anti-nuclear and anti-Torness.'
More information
Tel Green Press Office on 0131 348 6360
Michael Collie
PA to Chris Ballance MSP
0131 348 6373
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.