Gordon Wilson has written an article for the “Scots Independent” to be published next week, in which he points out the importance to Scotland of Sea Power.
It was Gordon who led the SNP’s “It’s Scotland’s Oil” campaign back in the 1970s and he reckons that Scotland must not lose out on the massive potential of electricity generation from tidal and wave power off its coasts this time round.
To ensure this the ex-party leader says that the Crown Estate should be devolved, a Scottish sea energy authority established and an interconnector cable laid under the sea between Scotland and Europe.
In his article he points out, “It is 40 years since the discovery of the giant Forties field in the North Sea was announced. It led to a bonanza, with a succession of huge discoveries over the next 20 years. Everyone thought that Scotland was the luckiest nation in the world. There is a huge amount of oil left but the hope, the vision of a new society, getting rid of poverty, has long since turned to dust.”
Mr Wilson goes on to say that the Crown Estate should be replaced in Scotland with some body that could, among other functions, license sites for ex
perimenting with technology. A sea energy authority would work with production companies in commercial development and the generation of electricity.
He’s right of course. We all thought that like other rich oil states, from Texas to Qatar, Brunei to Norway, the days of grinding poverty were over. Wrong. Mrs Thatcher took the oil money and used it to pay for the massive dereliction that she wreaked on our industry. The money went on paying Unemployment Benefit, and when the numbers became embarrassing, Sickness Benefit, the hidden benefit.
She also spend billions of it sucking up to America, and bigging Britain up so that she and Ronnie could spend more time together.
There’s still plenty oil there as Gordon says, but we do have a second bite at the cherry. The potential for wind and wave power round our coasts is enormous. We must move to secure a future for ourselves with it.
Gordon’s article concludes: “Scotland has been given a second chance. Let’s not throw it away this time. To be mugged twice would be unbearable. Yet that’s what will happen if we do not mobilise now.”
Pic: Gordon Wilson
It was Gordon who led the SNP’s “It’s Scotland’s Oil” campaign back in the 1970s and he reckons that Scotland must not lose out on the massive potential of electricity generation from tidal and wave power off its coasts this time round.
To ensure this the ex-party leader says that the Crown Estate should be devolved, a Scottish sea energy authority established and an interconnector cable laid under the sea between Scotland and Europe.
In his article he points out, “It is 40 years since the discovery of the giant Forties field in the North Sea was announced. It led to a bonanza, with a succession of huge discoveries over the next 20 years. Everyone thought that Scotland was the luckiest nation in the world. There is a huge amount of oil left but the hope, the vision of a new society, getting rid of poverty, has long since turned to dust.”
Mr Wilson goes on to say that the Crown Estate should be replaced in Scotland with some body that could, among other functions, license sites for ex
perimenting with technology. A sea energy authority would work with production companies in commercial development and the generation of electricity.He’s right of course. We all thought that like other rich oil states, from Texas to Qatar, Brunei to Norway, the days of grinding poverty were over. Wrong. Mrs Thatcher took the oil money and used it to pay for the massive dereliction that she wreaked on our industry. The money went on paying Unemployment Benefit, and when the numbers became embarrassing, Sickness Benefit, the hidden benefit.
She also spend billions of it sucking up to America, and bigging Britain up so that she and Ronnie could spend more time together.
There’s still plenty oil there as Gordon says, but we do have a second bite at the cherry. The potential for wind and wave power round our coasts is enormous. We must move to secure a future for ourselves with it.
Gordon’s article concludes: “Scotland has been given a second chance. Let’s not throw it away this time. To be mugged twice would be unbearable. Yet that’s what will happen if we do not mobilise now.”
Pic: Gordon Wilson
Screw me once - shame on you! Screw me twice - shame on me! Or words to that effect. There should be no debate - it's Scotland's maritime territory end of.
ReplyDeleteAgreed Scunnert.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember George W's attempt at that with the word "fool" instead of "screw" (well, he did go to Harvard, didn't he?)?
Poor man. Fool me once shame on you; fool me,...well, you ain't gonna make a fool of me twice ....ha ha ha.
I think you should come back and knock some sense into Brown/Cameron... what say ya?