Rebecca Machin, the former SNP candidate for Fort William and Ardnamurchan Highland Council ward, has issued a call for a wider call regarding protesters dissatisfied with the changing nature of the landscape due to wind farm and pylon development.
“I understand why people are upset regarding the number of applications and the infrastructure investment.
“The changes are altering the landscapes we are used to.
“But, we need to take a wider view.
“On 22nd January, at the Electricity Infrastructure Consenting Meeting of the Scottish Parliament, Liam MacArthur MSP stated that, only two weeks earlier, 580mW had been left on the National Grid.
“He pointed out that some 1920s infrastructure was still in use, that upgrades had not kept pace with the changing nature of energy generation demand.
“He is a Liberal Democrat and their energy spokesperson for 14 years.
“Are we really ready for power cuts?
“Will we really say its OK when we can’t boil the kettle or wash in hot water?
“Will this really help tourism?
“We have the potential for Energy Security.
“Are we really going to pass that up?
“We have Trump’s America to the west and Putin eyeing the resources of Eastern Europe to our east.
“Competition for lithium and rare earth metals – the very materials that make our laptops and mobile ‘phones – energy resources and productive farm land that isn’t (yet) affected by the floods, drought and temperature changes of climate change are all resulting in wars.
“We better make sure we are self-sufficient in terms of energy.
“We have cut ourselves off from Europe, we can no longer rely on the alliance with the US and we will all feel very vulnerable if Russia pushes its border any closer to us, I think.
“Subsea cables would be less visually intrusive – but they have already been attacked.
“Not potentiality – they have been.
“We’ve had to deploy our depleted fleet in order to protect them.
“Coupled with the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline: this is not a time for complacency.
“Then there is greed.
“The new wind farms are not being built on public sector land.
“They are being built on land owned by landowners (433 of whom own 50% of privately owned rural land in Scotland) and who are being paid very handsomely for it,” she continued.
“Have these landowners looked at the feasibility of burying the cables to allay the concerns of locals?
“Have the energy companies offered dynamic regional pricing to lower affected communities’ bills?
“But, somehow, it is all the government’s fault.”
“Our solution is land reform.
“I agree these developments appears haphazard and non-strategic; it is private business working for self, rather than national, interest.
“But, energy companies were privatised in 1990 by Thatcher’s Tory government and energy is a reserved matter, so Scotland does not have the power to overturn this.
“The landowner’s solution is to deflect blame on to others, saying a big boy done it and ran away.
“In the Aesop fable of the wolves and the sheepdogs, the wolves asked ‘Why not live with us as brothers?
“We are similar to you in many ways.
“The only difference is we are free while you labour for men.’
“These words made sense to the sheepdogs, tempted by the wolves’ promises of a shared feast and a life of freedom.
“They ventured into the den only to be pounced upon …
“Beware the wolves/politicians in sheepdog clothing.
“There is cross party support for these developments, bar the Tories and Reform.
“Anyone who tells you any different is lying.”
