The UK government is signaling its willingness to expand nuclear energy in Scotland, provided the Scottish government reverses its longstanding opposition, according to The National, which obtained correspondence through Freedom of Information (FOI) laws.
The revelation, which follows a letter from UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, highlights Labour’s push for nuclear expansion despite resistance from the SNP-led administration.
UK Government Keen on Nuclear Expansion in Scotland
Ed Miliband’s letter to Sarwar, disclosed under the FOI Act, underlines the UK government’s commitment to new nuclear projects. While reaffirming Scotland’s “long history of nuclear power”, he emphasized the role nuclear energy could play in energy security, job creation, and reducing carbon emissions.
However, Miliband made it clear that nuclear expansion would only move forward if the Scottish Government reversed its opposition. Currently, the SNP administration not only opposes new nuclear plants but also objects to the storage of nuclear weapons on the Clyde.
Sarwar, aligning himself with UK Labour leader Keir Starmer, has been vocal in his criticism of the SNP’s stance. In a letter dated February 7, he accused the Scottish Government of “ideological rigidity”, claiming it was preventing billions of pounds in investment and job creation.
Scottish Labour’s Shifting Stance on Nuclear Policy
Scottish Labour has been gradually shifting its position to align with UK-wide Labour policies. This is evident in Sarwar’s recent remarks urging First Minister John Swinney to reconsider Scotland’s planning laws and embrace nuclear development.
Sarwar’s call came just a day after Keir Starmer announced plans to “rip up the rules” restricting nuclear power plant construction in England and Wales. His letter to Miliband highlighted that several communities in Scotland had expressed support for new nuclear projects but were being held back by SNP policy.
In response, Miliband stated: “Scotland has a long history of nuclear power generation, with Torness Nuclear Power Station playing a critical role in the UK’s energy system since coming online in 1988.”
“By 2024 the site had provided Scotland and the rest of the UK with an estimated 298 Terawatt Hours of electricity, avoiding 146 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions.”
Snp Remains Firm in Its Opposition
The SNP has strongly rejected Labour’s push for nuclear expansion. MSP Jackie Dunbar criticized Sarwar for focusing on nuclear energy instead of other pressing Scottish issues, stating: “Nuclear power stations are exorbitantly expensive and produce vast quantities of radioactive waste which remains dangerous for thousands of years; and yet the Labour Party wants to put them in your backyard.”
She also highlighted Labour’s failure to lower energy bills despite previous promises, arguing that renewable energy remains a cheaper, safer, and faster alternative to nuclear power.
The Scottish government has instead focused on offshore wind and other renewables, tripling its investment in clean energy while blocking nuclear development.
Will Westminster Override Scottish Opposition?
Despite Labour’s push for nuclear power in Scotland, the UK government has previously stated it would not override Scottish ministers to build a new nuclear plant north of the Border.
However, former Scottish Secretary Alister Jack revealed in 2024 that he had asked the Department for Energy and Net Zero to plan for a nuclear reactor in Scotland—suggesting Westminster may still consider overriding Holyrood’s stance.
