Starmer and Sarwar take aim at SNP's energy record

Anas Sarwar and Keir Starmer are set to take aim at the SNP’s energy investment record as they kickstart Labour’s local election campaign in Glasgow.

The leaders of the Scottish and national Labour Party will appear together at a launch event, where they will say Scotland risks "paying the price in lost jobs and opportunities" if SNP ministers don't act to support energy investment in Scotland. 

Labour say the SNP's total opposition to any new nuclear projects puts at threat the possibility for millions of pounds of investment in Scotland, as well as opportunities available from new technology, such as proposals for a new state of the art nuclear fusion plant in North Ayrshire.

Last week the UK Government’s energy strategy included plans for eight reactors, but the Tories declared they would all be in England and Wales.

Scotland currently has only one nuclear power station, the Torness plant in East Lothian, after the Hunterston B site in North Ayrshire was closed in January.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has written to ministers in both the UK and Scottish governments encouraging them to back the North Ayrshire project at Ardeer.

Speaking ahead his Glasgow visit, Sarwar said: "Bills are going up, petrol prices are up, and neither the SNP or the Tories are serious about the action that need to be taken to bring bills down long term.

 "Scottish Labour have a plan that could give people over £1000 in support to deal with the short term crisis.

"But we need answers that focus on bringing bills down long term, as well as meeting our commitments to cut our reliance on fossil fuels and make our energy supply more secure in an unstable world.

"To do that nuclear, and the highly paid and skilled jobs it brings, must be part of Scotland's energy mix.

"But Scotland now risks paying the price in lost jobs and opportunities for the SNP's unscientific and economically backward opposition to nuclear energy."

Starmer added: "Both the SNP and the Tories need to get their act together when comes to dealing with the energy crisis.

"We need real investment in green and renewables jobs, not more broken promises.

"But we also need to seize the opportunities for investment and energy security that come with nuclear energy.

"Neither of Scotland's governments have a plan to cut bills, deliver energy independence, or tackle the climate crisis. Labour would deliver a green energy sprint, while the SNP and Tories dither and delay."