New Scottish anti-wind farm party launched

A NEW political party established to oppose the building of wind farms in Scotland has been launched.

Picture: Ian Rutherford

• New political party launched to oppose Scottish renewable energy policy

• Alliance Party of Scotland to field candidates in Scottish Parliament elections in 2016

The Alliance Party of Scotland will field candidates in the Scottish Parliament elections in 2016 against candidates who have backed the Scottish Government’s renewable energy policy.

Party leader Richard Crawford, an engineer based in Inverness, where the launch took place, said “destructive” energy policy was disenfranchising people, and blamed fuel poverty on the proliferation of wind farms across Scotland.

Mr Crawford added that the party would propose the suspension of the erection of wind farms pending an independent review of renewable energy, adding that energy saving should be the government’s focus.

He said: “Currently over 40 per cent of households are struggling to pay their energy bills. That can’t be right.

“We want to stop the destructive energy policy that is ruining Scotland and wll destroy tourism.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We aim to become a global leader in developing solutions to the challenge of climate change subject to a planning process which is inclusive and transparent.”