Labour leader Keir Starmer was right to back clean, green renewable energy in his leader’s speech at the party’s annual conference today. But he was wrong to claim that nuclear power is a part of that. This was a missed opportunity for the party to chart a new course: to put a stop to plans for pumping billions of pounds of people’s money into dirty, dangerous and expensive nuclear power stations. We need a Labour Party that commits to genuine renewable sources of energy that are value for money and ensure human, animal and environmental safety.
And Starmer’s speech was a missed opportunity on nuclear weapons. With the prospect of nuclear war at its highest in generations, Labour should be a voice for peace, de-escalation, and disarmament. A Labour government could be a world leader in nuclear disarmament and give further momentum to the growing number of nations that have signed up the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is in step with the 86% of Labour voters who support a global ban on nuclear weapons.
CND General Secretary Kate Hudson said:
“This year’s Labour conference was a squandered opportunity to reject the Conservative government’s ongoing commitment to nuclear weapons and nuclear power and embrace a new vision for our society. During a cost of living crisis, resources pumped into nuclear must instead be spent on better wages for workers, fully funded public services, and investment in technologies that tackle climate breakdown with genuine renewables. If the Labour Party shows leadership on this, a better more peaceful world is possible”