Anti wind farm protestors plan SNP conference demo

Representatives from campaign groups are set to converge on Perth on Saturday. Picture: Complimentary

ANTI wind farm protestors from across Scotland today announced plans to stage a mass demonstration against the SNP’s renewables policy at the Party’s annual conference in Perth.

Representatives of campaign groups from the Borders to the Highlands will converge on Perth on Saturday.

Graham Lang, chair of national anti-wind farm alliance Scotland Against Spin, claimed: “Scottish Government wind policy is an epic disaster - for the people, the environment and the economy of Scotland.

Target-driven and out-of control, the only people this disastrous policy benefits are politicians with super-sized green egos and corporate profiteers.”

He continued: “Alex Salmond must be the last person in Scotland who doesn’t think his wind policy is in urgent need of reform. We now have one of the highest concentrations of consented turbines of any country in the world.

“Two thirds of the proposed windfarms have not yet been built but already SNH reports that turbines are visible from almost half of the country. Scotland is on track to become a giant wind farm landscape, and the disastrous environmental and economic consequences are becoming clear. “

Campaigners are calling for an immediate moratorium on new wind farms and a major independent review into the impacts of Scottish wind policy.

Mr Lang added: “The Scottish Government’s obsessional promotion of wind energy has reached a new and dangerous low with its setting aside of Lady Clark’s ruling about the legality of wind farm applications. Instead of going to war with the judiciary over a doomed policy, the Scottish Government should seize the opportunity for an immediate moratorium and a full-scale properly resourced review of wind energy policy.”

The protesters are planning to stage a march from Perth’s South Inch to the conference venue at the Concert Hall at lunchtime, followed by a rally.

A spokesman for the campaign group said: “ Some protestors will be lobbying SNP delegates outside before reconvening for a noisy protest to coincide with Alex Salmond’s keynote speech inside the conference.”