Liberal Democrats in Oldham area back calls for UK energy independence

4.27.21pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 22nd Aug 2008

Liberal Democrats in Oldham Borough have given their strong backing to ambitious calls by Nick Clegg MP for Britain to become self-sufficient in energy.

The Liberal Democrat Leader has called for a major programme to build up Britain's own energy supplies through wind, tidal, wave and biomass technologies.

Mr Clegg said, "We have an enormous opportunity to create real energy independence for the UK, freeing ourselves from the shackles of foreign oil, coal and gas. This will require the kind of ambition and political will that succeeded in putting man on the moon."

Elwyn Watkins, Oldham East & Saddleworth Parliamentary Spokesperson, said, "I am delighted that Nick Clegg is calling for a green revolution in the way we produce power.

"The recent Russian invasion of Georgia and the ongoing troubles in Iraq and Iran show just how dangerously reliant Britain is on energy from unstable parts of the world.

"We have to build up our own energy supplies and as an island nation, we have an abundance of natural and clean energy sources that both Labour and Conservative governments have failed to develop properly. And in the rare event that they are developed, they are against the wishes of many local people, as we saw with the proposed wind farms in Saddleworth.

"Whilst Labour and the Conservatives joined together earlier this year to agree Britain should have a new generation of nuclear power stations, Liberal Democrats believe this will leave a legacy of radioactive waste for future generations. It will also leave us dependent on foreign supplies of uranium.

"Liberal Democrats in Oldham, from Saddleworth to Shaw, welcome Nick Clegg's call for Britain to develop clean energy supplies and become self-sufficient in them by 2050. This is an industry in which we as a nation should aim to be world beaters.

"We have a history of engineering around Oldham. Developing green power could well boost local jobs and the local economy."