After Chernobyl, Warsaw medics issue iodine to Polish couldn't happen in Britain children: Thatcher would have us believe that such an accident week.
During that Stan Orme spokesperson on energy called for cutting down nuclear power phasing out the oldest reactors and replacing them with coal. fired stations, and increas ing research on alternative renewable energy sources. While Orme did not argue for a planned phasing out pursued with urgency, along the lines of the conference resolution his position at least more closely approached party policy.
Dr Cunningham sufspeech stressed commitment to civil nuclear power, dismissed any notion that it damaged the environment, argued for more openness in the industry, the better sell it to a sceptical public.
The main criticism of government policy during this utualt was about been committed to an expansion of civil nuclear power,' said Labour environment spokesperson Jack Cunningham on last Sunday's This Week gedly maintained throughout the recent discussions sparked by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant meltdown, including in the parliamentary debate last whether, develop the nuclear industry. But some Labour MPs - noticeably Tony Benn and Allan Roberts - forceably argued for a nuclear free energy policy conference.
Such significant policy difference over nuclear power is reminiscent of the arguments over unilateral nuclear disarmament at the last general election, when figures such as Callaghan publicly attacked policy nelpea contnibute to losing Labour the election.
The two inkeds, The linked. government is concerned ahead with shallow-site disposal low level radioactive waste the quicker proceec with development of a new generation of nuclear reactors expansion of This would make Briducers , of weapon grade in a situation where the USA has frozen of nuclear power since 1978 The development power by its junior NATO partners therefore crucial for the USA's war gramme that context it relevant to query the Labour front bench commitment stop military use of plutonium produced by civil nuclear power stations The bot tom of the defence policy is a blank cheque ComE CRI NATO. A Labour govern. ment which maintained nuclear power would be under intolerable pressure to supply the US with the weapons material it needs tary Jack Cunningham pete Walker, sickening argued that the energy needs of a planet with an increasing population can only be met power. The British government, providing only £14 million for research inplies, seems determined to make that a fait accompli. other establishments, towards nuclear safety, the Not all the ex isting installations and the Sale disposal natica waste. 4 The progressive decommissioning of all lucical power stations, starting. with the oldest, and their replacement b coal and other sources of energy, diverting the necessary scientific, engineering and industrial effort lo unlal purpose 5 The implementation of this policy imise the use of the existing skills now available in the workforce at every level. 6 The development of an integrated energy policy for Britain, in consultation with the trade unions concerned, and providing for common ownership, democratic self-management, full public accoun tability.
Tony Benn and Eric Heffer currently
----- pull-quotes -----
Next Week, 'and we are not going to change that because of one conference decision.' This is a posi- tion that he and party leader Neil Kinnock have dog-