Nuclear somersault: New Energy Secretary changes his tune and says he won't block reactor plans
Energy Secretary Ed Davey performed a spectacular U-turn on nuclear power last night – as he declared he would not block plans for a new generation of reactors.
Liberal Democrat Mr Davey was appointed to the Cabinet post on Friday after Chris Huhne resigned to fight criminal charges.
In the past, Mr Davey has condemned nuclear power as dangerous and expensive.
As Lib Dem trade and industry spokesman in 2006 Mr Davey was the architect of the party's anti-nuclear policy.
He launched the policy with a press release entitled ‘Say no to nuclear', which warned a new generation of nuclear power stations would cost taxpayers tens of billions of pounds.
At the time, Mr Davey said: ‘In addition to posing safety and environmental risks, nuclear power will only be possible with vast taxpayer subsidies or a rigged market.
‘It is an issue that crops up in my postbag time and again. People don't want nuclear, but they don't know what the alternatives are. Now they do, and the alternatives are cleaner, safer, greener and better for the environment and the taxpayer.'
But in a statement last night, he said he would not disrupt the Coalition agreement, which commits to paving the way for a new generation of nuclear power stations.
He added: ‘There have been understandable concerns given the expensive mistakes made in the past which the taxpayer is still paying for. But the Coalition agreement is crystal clear – new nuclear can go ahead so long as it’s without subsidy.’
The U-turn came as Mr Davey batted away calls from Tory MPs to slash the £400million in taxpayer subsidies given each year to the ‘inefficient’ onshore wind farm industry.
More than 100 Conservative MPs wrote to David Cameron calling for the move. But Mr Davey said there was a ‘pretty compelling’ case for wind power as part of ‘a balanced mix of energy generation’.
Mr Davey said: ‘I've been a lifelong supporter of renewables and wind power and I'm not going to change now, I think onshore and offshore wind power has a real place in a balanced mix of energy generation.
Source: Daily Mail
