This is the future, says Ed Miliband on trip to Beatrice offshore wind farm
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Caithness-based workers in the renewable energy sector are "powering the future of Scotland and the future of the United Kingdom", according to Ed Miliband.
The former Labour leader, now the shadow secretary of state for climate change and net-zero, was speaking during a visit yesterday to the Beatrice offshore wind farm operations and maintenance base at Wick harbour.
He was accompanying party leader Sir Keir Starmer as they set out plans for a doubling of UK renewable energy jobs if Labour wins the next general election.
“I think it's incredibly exciting what we're seeing here," said Mr Miliband, who was Labour leader from 2010 to 2015. "This is the future – what we've seen today is the future."
In September, Sir Keir announced that a Labour government will create Great British Energy – a new, publicly owned clean generation company that will seek to cut energy bills and achieve energy security.
Labour says GB Energy will help to establish the UK as a "clean energy superpower", creating jobs and bringing money back into the public purse.
“We want to be co-investors in offshore wind farms and all of the new technologies that can power our future and create good jobs," Mr Miliband said.
“I think it's very striking to hear the incredible pride that people who live in this community, who are working here, have about it. They are powering the future of Scotland and the future of the United Kingdom.
"You immediately get that sense from talking to people. They are immensely proud of it.
“The SNP government and the Conservative government have made promises on jobs and haven't fulfilled them, and yet we've got this plan of doubling the number of clean power generation jobs.
"We've done the numbers and we're determined that people like GB Energy drive the supply chain so we actually deliver on the jobs where the SNP and Tories have failed to do so."
Sir Keir and Mr Miliband were joined on their visit to Wick on Friday by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Colin Smyth, Scottish Labour energy spokesperson.
Beatrice is operated by SSE Renewables on behalf of a joint venture partnership.
The £2.5 billion wind farm off the east coast of Caithness was completed in 2019, providing work for about 90 staff. The 84 turbines have a capacity of 588MW.
