Jan 11 2008
Labour’s nuclear power - the love that can now speak its name
Yesterdays statement in the Commons concerning nuclear power was a strange event. The Conservative benches were full, with many shouting agreement to the governments measures. The Labour benches were not so full, with obvious signs of distress punctuated by disagreement shouted from sedentary positions. The Lib Dem benches got behind their snarling spokesman, expressing disgust at anything with the word nuclear in it.
We have waited a long time for this statement. We were promised a great debate on whether we wanted a new generation of nuclear power stations or not, another one of Tonys grand gestures that never materialised. We have had two consultations, the second necessitated following a successful legal challenge to the first. We now know what we have long suspected from reading the informed briefings in the newspapers
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John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
Rightly or wrongly, the government its wisdom has decided to build nuclear power station. The next question is. Who is going to build them? Very skilled tradesman are required for this work in particular welders and fitters. If you think for one second cheap semi skilled East European labour will do. You could not be more wrong. Previous governments, and this one have not trained enough craftsmen.
Welders who do work at ‘Nuclear’ level command premium wages too. Many companies will go to great lengths to avoid paying welders a decent rate, even if it costs the project more money.
For example if a circular weld is not to standard on a pipe. The weld must be replaced by two welds. If these are no good then four, the pipe would be to short otherwise. If to many welds are present the length of pipe will have to be replaced. Obviously it would be cheaper to use a competent person. Not so the company would often set the project back and cost more. (Overseas -ed)welders on $3 an hour should stick to fishing.
They think welders and other tradesmen do not ‘deserve’ large wages. Were welders to drive BMW’s this would have to be stopped.
How will they do it? The sub-contract companies will bring in foreign labour from Germany and America. They will then return home.
These projects never help the local population and these will be no different.
The decommissioning problem will be avoided by dumping it on future generations of taxpayer. The people who made their family fortunes will wring their hands and say they obeyed the laws and the system of the time.
“…have said the market can build replacements if they wish
The government needs to go to Brussels and stay there until they knock some sense into their partners?????
Excuse me, John, but can you really see that happening any time soon?
Otherwise, I entirely agree with you on this one.
I must confess that I am in a bit of a muddle here.
Am I right in thinking that Euratom, until Gordon Brown signed the Lisbon Treaty this year, came under the first Pillar?
This must have meant that the Ministers had no legal right to suggest or initiate legislation, since their competence only extended to the second and third pillars??
Anyway, this is now purely theoretical since, surely, under the constitution, the three pillars have been removed and all legislation is initiated by the Commissioners only?
All your remarks about ministers and parliament are, therefore, sadly, out of date? The Commission has spoken?
It would be great fun to know what power the French President (French firms will be building the Nuclear Power Stations) has over the Commission. Apparently, when the Chinese clothes were banned a few years back, it was the French President himself, who had a quite word with Peter Mandelson…..
I must confess I am a bit amused about left wingers confusing civil and military nuclear power. Ah! the days of CND…..I remember, lad….