Blair not serious on environment

5.39.30pm GMT Tue 29th Nov 2005

Commenting on Tony Blair's speech to the CBI this morning, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary Norman Baker MP said:

"Tony Blair has opened the door for the expansion of nuclear power industry. That would not only be bad for the environment, but also absurdly expensive for the everyday consumer. The last nuclear plant to be built in the UK, generated power at twice the current market rate. The taxpayer has also had to fork out over £50bn to write off the industry's liabilities. Nuclear power is a recipe for households paying more. There are better, cleaner and cheaper alternatives. We should immediately rule out a greater use of the nuclear option and focus on cleaner, safer, renewable forms of energy.

"At least on climate change, Tony Blair is making the right noises. But it is hard to take his commitment to a binding agreement of major economies seriously. Only if countries sign up to mandatory, enforceable targets will we have a proper strategy for the environment. Anything else amounts to hot air."