SNP nuclear policy 'will cost thousands of jobs'

Published on Saturday 14 February 2009 18:43

SCOTLAND will lose out on thousands of jobs and billions of pounds in investment as a result of the SNP's anti-nuclear power policy, the Scottish Secretary will warn today.

Jim Murphy will mount a robust defence of nuclear power, claiming that Scotland would become an importer of electricity without it when he speaks at a conference in Edinburgh.

"Not to have nuclear would be an opportunity lost. It means Scotland misses out on billions of pounds in new investment – both during the construction phase and through the period of the power station's online service," Murphy will say at the Public Information Materials Exchange conference organised by the European Nuclear Association.

"It means Scotland misses out on thousands of good, well-paid jobs."

Murphy will say that the SNP has yet to advance a convincing argument against Government plans to build a new wave of nuclear power stations.

The SNP has indicated that it will use devolved planning laws to prevent them being built in Scotland, even though energy is reserved to Westminster.

Murphy said new nuclear power stations were essential to meet Britain's energy shortfall.