At Prime Minister’s questions today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell attacked Tony Blair for disregarding concerns about risk, cost and toxic waste in relation to nuclear power.

He said that the Government should instead invest in wave, wind and tidal power and clean coal technology, which would give Britain a secure non-nuclear future.

He asked:

“Can the Prime Minister explain why in his manifestos of 1997, 2001 and 2005 he did not seek a mandate for a renewed generation of nuclear power stations. Why is he so hell-bent on nuclear power now?

“Why is it that the Prime Minister is so committed to the idea of nuclear power in a way which suggests he disregards the issue of risk and cost and toxic waste. Where is the investment in wave, wind and tidal power and clean coal technology that would give us a secure non-nuclear future?”

Ming Campbell discusses his visit last Thursday to Beddington Zero (Fossil) Energy Development in Sutton (a.k.a. BedZED), as well as Sutton’s travel policies and the Liberal Democrats Green Tax Switch.

You can see the local paper’s report on Ming’s visit here.

During a visit to Sutton today, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ming Campbell, spelled out four reasons why the Government should be condemned for its transport policies, contrasting Labour’s record with one of the leading Liberal Democrat local councils, Sutton, and its policies to cut congestion and pollution.

Figures released by the Liberal Democrats show:

• Traffic levels have increased by over 11% since Labour came to power, with 129 million additional car journeys per year
• Since 1990 emissions from road transport within the UK have increased by 10%, to 32 million tonnes. They are projected to increase by 18% by 2010, to 38 million tonnes
• Carbon dioxide levels are at their highest since 1997, having risen 3% over this time
• Between 1997 and 2005 the cost of motoring has fallen by 9% while bus and coach fares increased by 15% and rail fares by 5%

(more…)

June 20, 2006: Ming Campbell MP and Ed Davey MP discuss energy policy and the environment during their return from visiting Woking’s Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Plant and Woking Park Fuel Cell.

You can sign up for their podcast and listen to it on your MP3 player, or just click on the button below to listen to it now on your computer.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

June 20, 2006: Ming Campbell outlined the Liberal Democrats’ opposition to a new generation of nuclear power stations and then went on to visit a Combined Heat & Power Plant in Woking. If you would like to hear a live recording of his speech, you can download it and listen to it on your MP3 player, or click on the button below to listen to it now on your computer.

Nuclear Power is not the answer to the ‘energy gap’.

It is less secure, far more expensive, more environmentally unfriendly and more risky than the alternatives.

The government has failed to spell out who will pay for a new generation of nuclear power stations.

The Government’s own White Paper in 2003 said that nuclear power was an “unattractive option” on grounds of cost and waste.

Nothing has changed since then to make it an attractive option, despite the Prime Minister’s claims to the contrary.

It is time to set out some facts to counter the unhealthy spin of this government.

(more…)