Thursday 23 August 2012

Dumb Wind Politics


The views just expressed by Cllr Alex Rowley, Leader of Fife Council, that Fife is not to be closed to wind farms, shows the value to his party of the deft use of a call for a moratorium. It was never a policy to stop wind farms. But it gained him power, with the support of the Conservatives.

Only UKIP stands four square against wind turbines and the easiest political weapon to stop vast numbers of applications coming forward is to abolish the subsidies. That lies in the hands of the weak Coalition Government - weak because their few sensible Conservative MPs haven't the courage to kick the Lib Dems out, or to join UKIP en masse, and weak because the Coalition won't cross the EU diktat which sets the targets to be followed.

Within the restraints of current Government policy, UKIP Scotland fully endorses the the calls made by CATS: each point they make would be a huge bonus for Scotland - certainly a mandatory 2000 metre buffer zone between turbines and homes should be implemented now. Even if applied only to turbines over, say, 20 metres high, the current adverse impact would be reduced to a reasonable level. UKIP however, still contends that there should be no subsidy at all - there'd be precious few turbines even under 20 metres then - they are not self sustaining in any real sense. Farmers and ladowners now grab at turbines because, with the subsidy, they are the best available legal yield per acre!

It's a case of never mind the landscape or the economic realities - increase utility costs for all, bribe communities and subsidize useless machines for the sake of a daft political aim.

Beats me - even the dumbest politician must realise that there won't be many places left for a decent photo opportunity in an 'unspoilt' Scotland soon.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was never a policy to stop wind farms. But it gained him power....."

The language used by Rowley, prior to the election was very strong, and after the election his stance has been very weak, and on several issues there has been some back pedalling,

Where is the Fife wide public consultation?

I never voted at the last election for the 1st time ever as I am now completely disillusioned by politics. If UKIP were standing in my area, you would have had my vote, as it is the only party that has voiced the wind farm issues, and showed good understanding of the concerns and technologies behind industrial wind farm developments.

Keep up the good work.

Mike Scott-Hayward said...

Thank you.

It is our hope to find enough brave folk to stand for UKIP, at every level. You are not the first to tell me that UKIP would have had their vote had we fielded a candidate in their area.

I am encouraged by all of this as there is a groundswell and we are making progress.

This evening, as the Chairman of UKIPScotland, I have written to four people who have just joined us as members today.

You will be able to vote for UKIP at the European Elections wherever it is you live in Scotland. And we had candidates listed for every region in the last Scottish Parliament elections.

We are preparing for Westminster elections now and we should have a good spread across Scotland. Hopefully, that will cover the area where you live.

Do call me - my number is 01334 655040 - perhaps you'll join us?