I recently sent this press release to the Evening News, which was carried today!
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=195952007
Update - I just noticed that my good friend, Ron, had a letter published in the evening News tonight as well
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/letters.cfm?id=195402007
Former MP and MSP Join Forces in ‘New Nuclear Labour’ Protest
Former MP Ron Brown will join forces with his Scottish Socialist Party colleague Colin Fox MSP in blasting government plans for more nuclear power stations and nuclear missiles at a public meeting in the city Thursday [8th Feb] night.
The MP for Leith from 1979-1992 Ron Brown has long opposed government plans for nuclear power generation. He told us
‘The nuclear option being promoted by Tony Blair and his big business cronies is unacceptable for a number of reasons.
First it leaves behind dangerous waste, toxic contaminants lethal to human life for 1,000 years to come. It is therefore not only the most expensive way to generate electricity it is also far and away the most dangerous. Has Tony Blair forgotten about Three Mile Island and Chernobyl? I find it incredible that on the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, where perhaps as many as 100,000 people may have perished, and Tony Blair proposes to build 20 new nuclear reactors. I would far rather the £50bn set aside for such schemes went into new renewable technologies and projects such as hydro electric, clean coal generation, wind, wave and solar power. Having worked on hydro electric schemes myself I believe Scotland can lead the world again in this technology. As an Amicus trades union member I share the SSP’s non nuclear vision and believe only this party stands up for socialism, trades union values and democracy.’
The government’s plans for nuclear weapons have also come under fire. Lothian’s MSP Colin Fox is appalled at plans to develop Trident Two.
‘Tony Blair is dead set on spending £25bn of our money on more nuclear ‘weapons of mass destruction’. This Prime Minister warns the rest of the world not to develop nuclear weapons and signs up to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, then he turns around and threatens the rest of the world with ‘mutually assured destruction’. He must be stopped. Does he ever stop to think what instability he causes around the world? The man with warmongering, belligerent form bar none, after his invasion of Iraq, now threatens the world with his own second generation of nuclear missiles.
The Scottish Socialist Party is steadfastly opposed to the development of Trident. I can think of a thousand better ways to spend £25billion pounds; on our health, education or social services. I am confident voters will reject New ‘Nuclear’ Labour.’
The public meeting will take place in the Communications Workers Union premises at 15 Brunswick Street, Leith on Thursday 8th Feb at 7.30pm.
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Allow me, a Canadian, to add my two cents worth.
Your concerns are about going nuclear. I too have problems with going that route. I would like to add something that seems to have escaped your attention. Just in July 2006. another near disaster was averted in Sweden with a nuclear station. Of all the ones mentioned it need to be pointed out that these were accidents. Now add into the equation "sabotage" It does not take a major air attack to cause deadly destruction. However, no need to help the cause of sabotage by adding to this.
There is another major factor that does not get mentioned.
Nuclear reactors need billions and billions of gallons of water for cooling. Now consider, the water intake is cool but that same water re-enters the water stream being hot. It so happens that most water sources are connected to oceans. The more the water temperature changes (and add-up all the existing reactors already going full-blast) it stands to reason that this will affect the ecosystem all over the world. Think only of the icecap in the Arctic melting.
And why did nuclear stations in Europe have to shut down this past summer? Low water levels! Of course, when water temperature rises, so does the evaporation rate!
There is a better way. I discovered an "un-usual" way to generate electricity without producing air pollution, global warming or even using a non-renewable fuel source, and its driving source certainly is not nuclear!
Neither is it dependent upon solar or wind power. It will generate constant and dependable power without diminishing the quantity or quality of the source, which, by the way, is FREE!
I hope to establish a relationship with a University or Institute of Technology, specializing in power generation engineering to team up with me for worldwide commercial implementation. You can leave a message on my other business website.
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