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UK Government's Energy Policy

No, they were shut because of economic circumstances, not closed down as we saw under Mrs Thatcher. Everybody in Wales will know that. People do not need to read history books; they simply need to remember. In communities such as mine in Pontypridd, people recall the reality of what the Tory Government did when they were last in power in Wales, and people are fearful today. That is precisely the sort of past to which we will be returning. The Severn barrage was the world’s largest green energy project, with the potential to produce 5% of the UK’s energy needs—the equivalent of two nuclear power stations, with hundreds of good-quality jobs—and it was clearly a no-brainer to press ahead with the decision. Indeed, in October, the Minister wrote about tidal power—not on Twitter this time—saying that it was ““insane not to make use of the best form of dependable renewable energy we have available to us in Wales.”” That is why I look forward to hearing more announcements from the Government in respect of tidal power.