As a member of the GMB's (General, Municipal and Boilermakers Union)(Retired Members’ Branch) it came as no surprise but was still very disappointing to hear that our general secretary Gary Smith could be quoted, (and still less believe) that 'We've cut carbon emissions by decimating working class communities.' In an interview with The Spectator of all places. It's no surprise because the GMB is highly represented in the nuclear industry. Perhaps Gary doesn't know very much about the comparative costs of offshore (or even onshore) wind energy, compared that is to the costs of new nuclear. He suggests that a well-heeled renewables industry has been capable of buying so much influence it swamped the puny efforts of the nuclear crowd. This is mind-bendingly absurd, as anyone knows from the time when Tony Blair briefly and perhaps disingenuously flirted with the idea of backing away from nuclear power. But with the revolving door between the Dept. of Trade and Industry (as then was) and the nuclear power industry the latter needn't have worried. In this sort of debate some in the trade union movement sound like echo chambers for the Tory rightwing anti-'net' zero lobby. It's sad that Gary couldn't pull himself out of his 1950s slumber. He should campaign for 'gross' zero, which would make a lot more sense. And I really don’t want to get into the game of calling union ’bosses’ dinosaurs. So far as renewable energy ‘decimating’ working class communities is concerned, I believe offshore wind manufacturing has helped revive, e.g. a part of Hull which many may have written off not so long ago.
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