We should be deeply proud of our support for Ukraine’s people in their greatest need
WITH each passing day the true scale of the horrors being endured by the heroic people of Ukraine is becoming ever clearer.
The resilience and courage of the Ukrainian armed forces is nothing short of inspirational as, against seemingly insurmountable odds, they are successfully blunting and, at times repelling, the behemoth of the Russian military machine.
Since 2015 the UK has been supporting Ukraine militarily by providing training and advanced military equipment including, crucially, NLAW anti-tank missiles.
On Saturday Boris Johnson secretly travelled to meet President Zelensky in Kyiv and promised new lethal aid for Ukraine including armoured vehicles and anti-ship missiles. In a televised statement released on Saturday evening the Prime Minister said Ukrainians had shown “the courage of a lion” and told President Zelensky that he had “given the roar of that lion.”
Writing after their meeting, Mr Zelensky said: “The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson is one of the most principled opponents of the Russian invasion, a leader in sanction pressure on Russia and defence support of Ukraine. Welcome to Kyiv my friend.” Andriy Sybiha, the deputy head of the Ukrainian President’s office, said on Facebook: “The UK is the leader in defence support for Ukraine. The leader in the anti-war coalition. The leader in sanctions against the Russian aggressor.”
We should all be deeply proud in our support of the Ukrainian people at their time of greatest need.
I have written many times for this column about how important the future development of Wylfa is to our island and how important new nuclear power is to the future of the UK’S energy security.
In recent weeks and months we have seen first-hand just how fragile our energy security is and the impact of being too reliant on energy from overseas. Last Thursday the UK Government published its British Energy Security Strategy which sets out a roadmap to achieve the energy security we
need whilst addressing our net zero agenda. This announcement coincided with a visit to the US by the Welsh Secretary of State, Simon Hart to visit the Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia, which is being Bechtel and Westinghouse.
After the island’s disappointment last year when Hitachi withdrew from its proposed development at Wylfa, we are seeing green shoots of hope that Wylfa - the best nuclear site in the UK – may rise phoenixlike once more.
Last week the Nuclear Financing Bill – which I supported through Parliament gained Royal Assent. This key piece of legislation paves the way for raising the finance needed to build large scale plants. Just two of these plants at Wylfa would provide enough power for every home in Wales and more.
Many people tell me that we should be looking to renewables like wind and sun for our future energy needs and I agree that these have a significant role to play in our future energy generation mix. However, both wind and sun are fickle – if the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow then we need to generate power using an alternative. Currently our main alternative is to burn more fossil fuels, mainly gas, which is
exactly what we are trying not to do as we rise to the challenge of decarbonising our economy to address the challenge of climate change.
Wind farms and solar farms also take up significant areas of land. We would need to cover a quarter of Anglesey in solar panels to power the same number of houses as a large-scale reactor. At present, solar farms are primarily being built on agricultural land which strips away our farming heritage and jobs and threatens our longterm food security. If we wanted to produce the same amount of power through an onshore wind farm we would need to cover half of Anglesey with wind turbines. Producing an equivalent amount of electricity offshore would require an area along our coast greater than the size of the whole of Anglesey.
Wind and solar farms also bring limited local employment opportunities. Unless the turbines and panels are made locally the jobs are relatively low skilled and few. In comparison, a large-scale reactor would occupy less than one square mile and provide thousands of local high-quality careers. These opportunities would mean job security for generations of local families both directly and through the
supply chain.
When I speak to the people living across Anglesey, they tell me that their greatest concern is opportunities for young people. We all want good prospects for our children and for the generations to come. We want to know that our families can stay on the island and enjoy rewarding careers with good salaries. And we want to ensure that our Welsh language and culture can flourish.
That is why I have pushed so hard to make sure that new nuclear, and Wylfa in particular, stay front and centre of the UK Government’s thinking as it has developed its energy security strategy.
I am confident that these relentless efforts are now coming to fruition.
Last Thursday was a huge day for Ynys Môn and I was delighted to see the Wylfa site specifically mentioned in this ground-breaking and innovative plan to boost clean energy and to secure our long-term energy needs.
The news of a new government body setting to work immediately with the sole aim of bringing forward new nuclear projects, backed by substantial funding, is exactly what I have campaigned for as the MP for this wonderful island and as the Chair of the
Nuclear Delivery Group and of the All-party Parliamentary Group on Small Modular Reactors. I am absolutely thrilled.
It will require drive and there will be problems to solve and opportunities to grasp. As the Wylfa champion I am well placed to extract the best possible benefits and compensation for those affected by this large infrastructure project. In this next stage of securing a company to build and operate Wylfa I will be pressing for other benefits to our island in addition to the jobs and prosperity it will bring. The journey continues but I am confident we are now entering a new stage and one full of hope and optimism that the jobs and investment our island needs are now just around the corner. There are companies keen to invest in Wylfa – including Rolls-royce, Bechtel and Westinghouse, and I hope that we will soon see progress and a brighter economic future as a result. The possibilities are endless. I am determined that our island, the Energy Island, leads the world in decarbonisation.
While I work, along with so many others in our community, to secure new jobs for our island the essential work continues to support the Orthios employees who lost their jobs just a fortnight ago. If you or anyone you know needs my help or support then please contact me by emailing virginia.crosbie.mp@parliament. uk or by telephoning 01407 644 645.
Over the coming weeks a leaflet that I have produced will be delivered across the island by Royal Mail. I am keen to support my constituents in these challenging times and the leaflet details how I can help and how people can get in touch with me.
It has been printed in Welsh and English by W O Jones in Llangefni and kindly funded by a range of local businesses including Blueberries Café, Pentraeth Automotive, Looms Brothers, Valley Dental, Banks Hardware Store, Pips Pet Supplies and many others – to whom I am most appreciative. If you would like additional copies for your office, community hall or business please do get in touch. Diolch yn fawr.