Worst since Iraq

Repetitive Folly
Today’s decision on nuclear power is the worst Government blunder since the decision to join Bush’s war in Iraq. It will have implications that will impoverish our children and grandchildren.

I had a brief chance to ventilate in the Commons after the Speaker had ‘named’ me for heckling. That’s the first time in 20 years. Later he called me, pointing out it was then my turn to speak.

Why repeat the nuclear folly? How can anyone believe the nuclear lobby than had vast cost-over-runs, up to 10 years delays, and a legacy of debt of £75 billion to clear up their waste- that’s £4,000 per family?

No nuclear power station in the world has been economic. All have been subsidised by taxpayers. The new heralded modern design in Finland is already 2 years late and £1billion. overspent. It was a controversial decision sold on the basis that investment would be made in renewables. The Green resigned from the coalition. Sadly the nuclear overspend has robbed the renewables investment of cash. Exactly what is likely to happen here.

Today’s White paper openly admits the government will have to provide extra money if cost estimates are wrong. They always have been in the past. Nuclear companies will be able to cap their liabilities, leaving the taxpayer exposed if estimates for dealing with waste change. As they certainly will.

How can intelligent people fall for this hard sell from the vested interests? Scotland is remaining nuclear free and heading for 50%% generation from renewables. We could do the same if we concentrate our enthusiasms on marine renewables.

Most backbenchers called today opposed the white paper and championed renewables. Some who spoke for nuclear vested interests. Some MPs are employed by companies expecting big contacts from the nuclear bonanza.

The minister today could not name a single nuclear venture that had ever made money. He talked about the ‘new science’ and how the Government favour the geological solution for waste. That means digging a hole and dumping the waste in it. Exactly the same solution as ‘old science’ 40 years ago.

Hidden treasure

Ian Liddell Grainger MP is an unrecognised Parliamentary treasure who brought joy to a soporific committee this morning.

He is a cartoon-book Tory and 234th in line for the throne. The Public Administration Committee was interviewing the new Chair of the Committee on Public Standards, Sir Christopher Kelly.

He has had a 30-year career as a top civil servant and was headhunted to beef up standards. He was asked some lively questions which he answered with suffocating banalities.

Ian’s riveting question was a kiss of life. He asked, ‘I get the impression that you are a very boring man. Are you?’ All of us had that thought that.   No one else dared say it.

Sir Christopher cheerfully half-agreed. Kelvin Hopkins MP  rush to his aid. He said, “Charismatic, conviction people are responsible for all the great crimes and disasters in the world. I advise you to stay boring. You will do less harm.”

Sir Christopher was grateful that his prime talent had been recognised.

Lynch-mob

Radio Cymru rang me up for an interview at 8.00 a.m tomorrow. I agreed in the certainty that it was about the biggest news of the day.

Wrong. They are not leading on nuclear power. No It’s Hain-gate. Why? Apart from employing people who made a mess of his accounts, I still do not know what dreadful crime he has committed.

The money was from friends and supporters to pay for an internal Labour Party campaign. No one was cheated, robbed, bribed or deceived. Nor was there any intention to do  wrong. There have been at least a dozen other scandals recently where politicians mis-used money - one was Plaid-gate. None has had a fraction of the publicity endured by Peter.

We will not have the decision of the Electoral Commission for a week. So stand down the lynch mob and  damp down the manic hysteria for a day or two. Hain the Politician has not become Hain the mad axe slayer.

Comments

[Sean]

The nuclear idiocy is just typical of the Labour Party. It deliberately ignores the public interest. It covers another corrupt decision deep with lies and evasions. Everything the Labour Party does in office follows this same pattern.
It astonishes and enrages me that well- motivated and intelligent people like Mr Flynn MP somehow manage to remain in the Labour Party. This deprivers people like me of a democratic voice. I'd vote for Flynn (or Cohen) the independent, but as a member of the malign, insane and dangerous Labour Party, not in a million years.

[Rwendland]

Bill Rees, perhaps you should be looking for a different electricty supplier. Domestic electricity prices for medium consumers was lower in the UK than France 2001 to Jan-2006, with both less than the EU average according to this DTI study:

http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file20324.pdf

Since then it looks like UK prices have crept a bit higher than France, but that is probably down to the pound/euro rate changes.

[paulflynn]

Bill Rees. I do not get the point. If the Government makes major errors as they did on Iraq and on this, it is up MPs to speak and vote against. Had 50 more Labour MPs voted against the Iraq War, 280 British soldiers would not have died.

[Chris Gale]

The media are out to get Peter Hains scalp for a cock up of paperwork.
When will they turn such level of attention to Tory Lord Ashcroft?
I am not holding my breath.

[Easy]

For goodness sake, you lot are in government. That's why people give a toss about what you do. All the rest are just a bunch of big-heads. At most, we care to hear about them so as not to elect them. But otherwise the mudslinging is all irrelevant. Until you have power. Then what you do matters, whether it's in public or in private. You must see this surely?

[Bill Rees]

We live in France and Cornwall.Perhaps you could explain why EDF charge us twice as much a unit of electricity in Cornwall than the nuclear generated electricity in France.

[Tony]

Nice try on nuclear but I fear that because of the lack on investment in renewables over the last 20+ years this was seen as a quick(ish)fix. I have to say that it was not something I ever thought a Labour government would do and I think you are right - we will be paying for this for generations. And as for the solution to the waste issue - just how big a bribe will a communitity need to accept a nuclear waste dump ?

[Jayne Bryant]

France and Russia are problems. Russia intend to build dozens of new nukes. Sooner or later, reality must emeged with a confrontation with the true cots.

The Finnish tragedy is that the £billion overun on their new nuclaer plant caused by the two year delay is taking money from the promised investment in renewables.

[Rwendland]

Paul, yesterday did seem to turn out to be good news overall on nuclear. I've not noticed any major new hidden subsidy, so the uneconomics of nuclear will prevent any being built with private finance, unless the price of gas and coal go up a lot more. I see back in Nov EDF were calling for "long-term guarantee on a minimum carbon price, which, the company claimed, “is not a subsidy for nuclear.”", which they didn't get:

http://www.neimagazine.com/story.asp?storyCode=2047917

But it seems the big play on nuclear subsidies is that France might push for exceptions to EU competition policy "because tomorrow we'll have to compete with the Russians":

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/60570dbe-28fd-11dc-af78-000b5df10621.html

[paulflynn]

No Che. You can't compare it . Plaid have been judged guilty by the Standards Committee for using public money for blatant party propaganda a week before an election. No public money in Hain's case.

Pter Hain has not been accused of taking money from abroad (as in DavidCameron-gate, Ashcroft-gate, or Laidlaw Gate) or taking stolen money from a crook (as in MichaelBrown-gate)or taking money from someone who does not pay British tax or is out to buy influence (as in most of the above).

This is trial by media. The media have ignored the other ....gates and are concentrating on Peter Hain. It's perception that matters, not the serious of the offence. thus the media decides.

Peter secured justice for ASW pensioners and is the strongest voice for renewable energy and devolution in the cabinet. Is it sensible to dump him because of an administrative cock-up ?

[Che Grav-ara]

I hardly think you can compare the fact that Plaid members were given the go ahead on their adverts but then told at a later date (after publication) that they would have to pay the sum of £15,000 (or there abouts) back with the fact that Hain has hidden over £100,000 in donations. administrational errors can happen. £100,000's worth of them i think not! This makes his distastful speech at the ITV Wales political awards even more embarrasing!

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks Jon and Chris,

Good to see this morning that the intelligent media has not fallen for the new nuclear con. There has been a good deal of attention to the £80 billion nuclear UK legacy and the MPs who are in the pay of the nuclear lobby.
If the Government is serious about no subsidy, it's hard to see how any new nuclear will be built.

[Jon Worth]

Absolutely right about nuclear - keep up the good work. I'm very glad there are MPs like you that have not lost their principles.

[Chris Gale]

well done for standing up for common sense on the nuclear issue Paul.
Future generations will not thank Mr Hutton and all for leaving them a radioactive poison legacy which will be with us for hundreds of years.