Dealing with Nuclear Waste

Huxley wrote all those years ago that "facts do not go away because they are ignored" and neither will the hundreds of tons of nuclear by-products which are already stored in West Cumbria.

I respect the views of those who voted to terminate the previous MRWS process, even though I disagree with them. I have no respect at all for the intellect of those who would interpret the vote on that process as a democratic mandate for ignoring the issue.

We still have to consider the best and safest long-term solution for all those tons of nuclear material which are already here in Cumbria. By all means let us make sure the geology is right, that any solution has the support of the host community, let us continue to explore all the options.

But whether or not there is a new generation of nuclear power plants, don't kid yourself that sticking your head in the sand like an ostrich and ignoring the fact that we already have hundreds of tons of nuclear waste to deal with is one of those options.

Comments

Jim said…
Strange isn't it. As a politician you can see the long term problem that stands with the current policy on nuclear waste.

But as a politician on public finance you think that "in the long run we are all dead" is great economic wisdom.

Economically today is already the tomorrow the politicians and Keynesian economists of yesterday urged us to ignore.
Chris Whiteside said…
I did quote Keynes' statement that "In the long run we are all dead" a few weeks ago. I described it as the best known of the things he said but I did not then describe that quote as great economic wisdom, not do I recall doing so at any other time.

The remark has to be seen in context that Keynes was criticising those who opposed government intervention because they thought that the economy would return to equilibrium "in the long run." When he said "In the long run we are all dead" he meant that the time taken for an economy to return to balance might be too long for the unemployes and destitute.

My quoting that remark has to be seen in the context that I was arguing that some of the methods Keynes was advocating eighty years ago would not work in today's circumstances.

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