Blair's nuclear dream

My picture above shows Hinkley Point B nuclear reactor, an aging power station near Bridgewater, Somerset that I used to call on when I worked for Coca-Cola (they had a huge staff restaurant in case your wondering why I called there!), picture courtesy of British Energy.

Well Blair never ceases to amaze me. He ordered his second review into nuclear power since he entered government but all the newsmedia organization are trailing a speech he is due to give tonight to the CBI where he endorses nuclear power thus pre-pre-empting the review. Meanwhile this makes people like Labour MP look absolutely ridiculous as he has been campaigning hard against the construction of new generation of power stations; below is a copy of a press release I sent The Echo, Southampton's local newspaper.

New Release from Southampton Test Conservative Association

Release; Immediate Tues 16 May, 18:15

Southampton MP Whitehead snubbed as Blair says ‘Nuclear is back on agenda’

Alan Whitehead MP views appeared to have been ignored as his long-standing campaign to stop the building of a new generation of nuclear power stations was de-railed by the Prime Minister.

In a speech due to be given tonight to the CBI, the text of which has been released by Downing Street, Blair will say that the issue is, “Back on the addenda with a vengeance’ seemingly pre-empting his second review of the nuclear industry.

In an apparent snub to long-standing Labour MPs opposed to nuclear power like Mr. Whitehead, a Downing Street spokesman is reported by the BBC to have said that there would be ‘despairing shrieks of outrage’ in response to Mr. Blair’s speech tonight.

A spokesman for Southampton Test Conservatives, Matthew Dean said, ‘It is outrageous that Mr. Blair is preempting the results of his review of nuclear power and shows how little regard he has for backbench MPs in his own party. As a Conservative, I can say what some Labour MPs can only think - Mr Blair should go and go now while in Southampton Mr. Whitehead should write to the PM and complain how he has been treated.

Notes to Editors
(1) Detail on the background to this story can be found at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4967196.stm
(2) Alan Whitehead MP is a long-standing opponent of nuclear power and was a driving force behind the creation of a ‘nuclear free zone’ in Southampton when he was a Councillor in the city. A recent statement of his views can be found at www.alan-whitehead.org.uk/articles_2005/renewable.htm
(3) Matthew Dean is an Officer of Southampton Test Conservative Association and is available to discuss this release on

Published by Matthew Dean on behalf of Southampton Test Conservative Association.