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Allan Wilson
Former Member of the
Scottish Parliament (MSP)
for Cunninghame North And
Deputy Minister for
Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Telephone: 07711038711
Welcome to my website.
This site contains information on my previous work in the Scottish Parliament and
the Cunninghame North constituency during my 8 years as MSP.
At the Scottish Parliament Election on May 3rd, I was not returned to
parliament in what was a very close result.
As a consequence, the Parliamentary Information Centre in Hamilton Street,
Saltcoats is now closed.
While there has been much controversy concerning the result, it was decided
for obvious reasons not to force a recount and I will focus my attention on
continuing to support the Constituency and to prepare for the next general
election.
I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported me during my 8
years as the Labour MSP for Cunninghame North.
I am retaining this site which includes a complete history of my activities
during my 8 years as MSP serving Cunninghame North and will keep you updated
with current news and events regarding my activities in the Constituency.
Allan Wilson in The News
What are the SNP
doing to us?
Since the Scottish
Parliament Election on May 3rd, I have been keeping my finger on the pulse
of local politics and the interests of the people in my former constituency
who supported me and continue to support me.
It is quite clear the SNP
are ditching all their election promises and perusing their only true
objective, that of separation.
The press and broadcasters are simply swallowing the SNP spin.
In an effort to expose
what is really happening behind the SNP smoke screen, I have been writing a
series of articles to local and national media with specific examples of how
the SNP are misleading the general public with their blatant lies.
Below are some of these
articles and responses;
2008 Articles
(For 2007
Articles Click Here)
Article for
Largs & Millport -
Anti-nuclear
Rhetoric - 8th January 2008
Dear sir
The myopia of our nationalist Government in rejecting nuclear new build
knows no bounds. It is matched only by their hypocrisy in 'welcoming ' last
year's news that the life of Hunterston nuclear power station was to be
extended giving security of employment in the medium term to over 700
employees and ensuring the continued investment of £26 m per annum into the
North Ayrshire economy – not to mention securing a carbon free source of
affordable electricity for a further five years for the nation as a whole.
Now they revert to their well worn rhetoric that Scotland 'neither needs nor
wants new nuclear power stations'. On both fronts they are completely wrong.
Scotland needs nuclear power if we are to have any hope of keeping CO2
emissions static far less meeting the nationalists' own target of reducing
them by 3% year on year. If electricity output from nuclear power stations
has decreased by one quarter last year as claimed then that is bad news for
our environment and will be reflected in increased CO2 emissions over the
same period when the statistics are published later this year. Is this going
to be the nationalist contribution to the fight to combat global warming?
They claim that fossil fuels and renewables can plug the gap but are they
alone in Government in failing to understand that to rule out new nuclear
will not only lead to us burning more fossil fuels but also to an escalation
in the cost of electricity for Scottish consumers? Are they content to see
fuel prices and the numbers of the fuel poor inexorably increase?
Misrepresenting the choice as between nuclear and renewables and replacing
base load nuclear generation with intermittent renewable capacity will
threaten Scotland's status as a net exporter of energy and perversely for a
nationalist government make us increasingly dependent on our southern
neighbours and imported gas to keep the lights on. As the last BBC poll
aptly demonstrated, when faced with the real choice of new nuclear build or
dependence on foreign gas, Scots like other UK residents support nuclear as
part of a balanced portfolio of other energy sources – including an
increasing proportion of renewable output.
Anti-nuclear rhetoric is no substitute in Government for a sustainable
energy policy that guarantees security of supply, contributes to a reduction
in global CO2 emissions and produces electricity at prices that are both
affordable and competitive.
Current nationalist energy 'policy' (or the absence of one) means that our
nationalist Government fails the test on all counts.
Yours sincerely
Allan Wilson
44 Stoneyholm Road
Kilbirnie
Ayrshire
KA25 7JS
Letter to Sun
- New Nuclear - 14th January 2008
Dear sir
The recklessness of the nationalist Government in rejecting nuclear new
build is matched only by their hypocrisy in 'welcoming ' last year's news
that the life of Hunterston nuclear power station was to be extended.
Long after Alex Salmond is drawing the pension in Banff, Scotland will still
be dependent on nuclear power. But unless we maintain our own existing
capacity, the chances are that it will be nuclear power that comes from
England or France.
Don't just take my word for it. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, the premier
league of Scottish scientific opinion, wants the Scottish Government to
'keep open the nuclear generating option in the interests of diversity and
security of supply and the suppression of greenhouse gas emissions'.
The Nats say that Scotland 'neither needs nor wants new nuclear power
stations'. On both fronts they are completely wrong. Scotland needs nuclear
power if we are to have any hope of keeping CO2 emissions static far less
cutting them.
The more Scotland opts for coal and gas generation - which are the realistic
options - the more harmful emissions will increase. Is this to be the
Nationalist contribution to the fight against global warming and the legacy
they want to bestow on future generations?
They talk big about renewables but act small, wherever their local political
interests are at stake. There is not a shred of evidence to support their
claims that Scotland could get 50 per cent of our electricity from
renewables like wind and wave within any foreseeable time scale. And if even
if there was, the costs to be borne by Scottish consumers would be
astronomical.
Cost to the consumer is something that the Nats don't seem to care about at
all. The price of other fossil fuels - gas and coal - will continue to rise
in line with oil. Making Scotland more dependent on these energy sources,
brought in from all around the world, will be paid for at a high price by
Scottish consumers.
Misrepresenting the choice as between nuclear and renewables is just
dishonest. Nuclear as a baseload source of supply actually creates real
opportunity to grow our renewables capacity. Simply replacing base load
nuclear generation with intermittent renewables threatens Scotland's 's
status as a net exporter of energy.
How perverse that the drum-beating Nationalists are following a policy that
will make us increasingly dependent on our southern neighbours and imported
gas to keep the lights on. Is this the economic future for Scotland's energy
companies?
If we treated the Scotch Whisky industry with the same disregard- producing
only enough for domestic consumption - we would close down the 90% of
distilleries dependent on the export of their product.
As the last BBC poll aptly demonstrated, when faced with the real choice of
new nuclear build or dependence on foreign gas, Scots like other UK
residents support nuclear as part of a balanced portfolio of energy sources.
Let's have more renewables by all means - but retaining Nuclear's current
share of our power mix is simply a sensible approach to a balanced energy
policy
Anti-nuclear rhetoric is no substitute in Government for a sustainable
energy policy that guarantees security of supply contributes to a reduction
in global CO2 emissions and produces electricity at prices that are both
affordable and competitive.
Current nationalist energy 'policy' (or the absence of one) means that the
nationalist Government fails the test on all counts.
Allan Wilson is a former Labour Minister for Energy in the Scottish
Government
Yours sincerely
Allan Wilson
44 Stoneyholm Road
Kilbirnie
Ayrshire KA25 7JS
Article for
Largs - Inverclyde Sports Centre - 14th January 2008
LABOUR SLATES SNP FOR 'MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY' OVER
INVERCLYDE SPORTS CENTRE
Former Labour MSP Allan Wilson today slated the SNP for creating months of
unnecessary uncertainty over the future of the Inverclyde Sports Centre in
Largs– following the decision of the Scottish Government to abandon its
manifesto commitment to axe Sportscotland,- the Government Agency that runs
Inverclyde.
"This is an embarrassing climb-down by the SNP but unlike their other broken
promises on police numbers , dumping student debt and giving first time
buyers a £2000 grant, this is one u-turn that I welcome and will I know,
come as a relief to the staff at Inverclyde whose jobs had been put in
jeopardy" said Mr Wilson.
"While welcoming their latest decision to reverse a manifesto pledge, it's a
decision that should never have had to be made. The original SNP promise to
abolish Sportscotland was not thought through, given the obvious health and
educational benefits that come from sports related activity and the crucial
co-ordinating role of Sportscotland" said Mr Wilson.
"The fact that its taken eight months for the SNP to realise their
commitment to scrap Sportscotland was wrong is a disgrace. It has put
Inverclyde employees and the many individual sports bodies that depend on
funding from Sportscotland through months of unnecessary uncertainty about
their jobs and their funding future."
"The SNP's enforced u-turn on this issue is the result of pressure from
Labour and other opposition members within the Parliament as well as from
sports experts and independent advisors - all of whom opposed the axing of
the agency."
"Scotland's sportsmen and women will welcome this belated about-turn as
'better late than never'" concluded Mr Wilson.
For Further Information Contact Allan Wilson Mobile Telephone no.
07711038711
Article for
Largs - Nuclear Latest - 20th January 2008
Dear sir
Labour has claimed SNP energy policy is 'lost in space' and
'all at sea' after SNP MSPs Kenny Gibson and Joe Fitzpatrick
suggested Scotland's future energy needs could be met from
'satellites and seaweed.' during the debate on Energy in the
Scottish Parliament last week.
Former Labour MSP Allan Wilson said,
" These madcap claims simply demonstrate that the SNP have no
credible energy policy and no practicable alternative on how
they would replace the current contribution to Scotland's
electricity generating needs made by our nuclear power plants
at Hunterston and Torness."
"Up to 40% of Scotland's electricity comes from nuclear power,
giving Scotland a reliable and affordable source of power for
our homes and businesses."
"The reckless approach of the SNP would leave Scotland
vulnerable to power shortages, higher energy costs and
increased carbon emissions."
"Trying to keep Scots in the dark as to the real costs of
nationalists energy policy- or the absence of one-
doesn't even wash with SNP voters, two thirds of whom back
nuclear power, according to the latest "You gov poll."
concluded Mr Wilson.
For further Information Contact Allan Wilson
01505 682081 (home) 07711038711 (office)
Article for
Largs - Hunterston And The Nats - 20th January 2008
Dear sir
Mr Gibson's latest letter simply demonstrates the fantasy world that he
inhabits. Labour's energy policy is very clear. We support nuclear power as
part of a balanced mix of energy sources necessary to secure future supplies
of affordable electricity and combat the increase in CO2 emissions which
contribute to global warming and climate change. Is Mr Gibson the only one
who doesn't understand this?
Nothing could be clearer and the UK government's announcement last week that
they wanted energy companies to come forward with proposals for new plant to
meet our energy needs in the future rather than be wholly dependant on
imported gas and coal for baseload capacity, clarified the position even
further. Meanwhile Mr Gibson opposes both nuclear new build and new
renewable energy developments.
If Mr Gibson were serious about representing this area's interests he would
be campaigning for a Hunterston C - as he hasn't a clue how to replace the
jobs or local economic benefit that will be lost when Hunterston B closes.
But then neither Mr Gibson nor his party appear to understand the difference
between baseload and intermittent supply nor equally importantly, the
distinction between generating capacity and the efficiency ratio of
individual sources of supply.
If they did they wouldn't claim - wrongly - that Scotland doesn't need
nuclear power .
Instead, he hypocritically says he is 'delighted' at the decision to extend
the lifetime of Hunterston B while Alex Salmond simultaneously brands
nuclear power as 'dirty and dangerous' .This is political schizophrenia of
the highest order. If it were either of these things - then why 'welcome'
the lifetime extension of Hunterston?
Mr Gibson's ignorance of these matters is compounded by his ludicrous claim
in the energy debate last week that Scotland's future energy supplies can be
met from 'space' -via imported electricity from a 'global super grid'!
The only current affordable alternative to the baseload electricity supplied
by nuclear is coal or gas - both of which add to greenhouse gas emissions
and the latter of which is increasing in price at the same rate as a barrel
of oil - or has Mr Gibson not seen a gas bill recently?
That is why eminent environmentalists like Professor Lovelock, the father of
the green movement and Patrick Moore, a founder of Greenpeace both support
nuclear new build. Fortunately it appears that these facts are also grasped
by SNP voters, two
thirds of whom back nuclear power according to the latest 'Yougov' poll, the
SNP's favourite polling organisation. We can only hope Mr Gibson learns from
them.
Yours sincerely
Allan Wilson (signed)
44 Stoneyholm Road
Kilbirnie
Ayrshire
KA25 7JS
My Background as
MSP
During my 8 years serving as MSP, I held a
number of positions of responsibility which included Labour lead on the
Scottish Parliament's Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee and also a
member of the European Committee prior to becoming Deputy Minister for
Tourism, Culture and Sport.
In October 2000, I was appointed as Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and
Sport in the Scottish Executive. In November 2001, I was appointed by First
Minister Jack McConnell as Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural
Development.
On the 4th of October 2004, I was appointed to Deputy Minister for
Enterprise and Lifelong Learning by First Minister Jack McConnell.
The responsibilities in this new and larger portfolio included the
responsibility for economy, business and industry, including Scottish
Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, European Structural Funds,
trade and inward investment, energy (including renewable energy), further
and higher education, lifelong learning, training and science.
Choose from the links
on the left to find what you are looking for. Included in the archive are all my
speeches to the Parliament, as well as all my press releases and news
letters during my 8 years as MSP. I hope that you find the site useful. If you
have suggestions on how the site might be improved, then email your comments
here.
Note:
Effects on this site require the Java Plug-in to be viewed properly.
If you cannot read the buttons to the left, click icon below to download Java
Explore The Site
This Site is Interactive
Throughout the site you
will find many ways to pass information to me, share your thoughts and make your
views known. Look at "interactive" on the menu left, checkout my
Forum, and Blog.
Labour Group
April 2007
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