Chris Huhne backs nuclear power
CHRIS Huhne, the Liberal Democrat energy secretary, performed a remarkable volte-face yesterday by declaring that nuclear power stations were “part of the future”.
Huhne, a one-time avowed nuclear sceptic, said: “I believe nuclear investors will come forward and nuclear will play its part in the energy needs of the future.”
Yesterday, Huhne said he had never held ideological objections to nuclear power per se, but that he was sceptical about the “economics of nuclear”. The coalition agreement to rule out public subsidies had removed those doubts, he said.
But in a blogpost in November 2007, Huhne wrote: “Ministers must stop the side-show of new nuclear power stations now. Nuclear is a tried, tested and failed technology.”
Meanwhile, the energy secretary insisted he was relaxed about a poll showing support for the Liberal Democrats has crumbled to 12 per cent, less than half the share of the vote they received at the election. The YouGov poll for the Sunday Times puts the Conservatives on 42 per cent and Labour on 38 per cent.
And support for Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has evaporated almost entirely, nose-diving from 72 points after the first leaders’ debate to eight points.