I am dismayed and disappointed by the Vestas decision to close their factory on the Isle of Wight. For this to come when green jobs should be helping to pave our way out of the recession is a double blow for workers.

If that is not bad enough, I am appalled at the way Vestas are treating those that are fighting to save their jobs. Trying to starve them out of the building is inhuman.

I do not accept that there can be no positive solutions to this situation. We need to examine every possible alternative, including government subsidies to set up a co-operative or mutual organisation.

We know that we need these skills in the future because we need wind turbines to deliver our renewable energy targets. Last month the Government set out an ambitious plan to strengthen its control of the planning and infrastructure of the energy markets I hope we can also bring forward a support package so that these jobs can be saved and the Vesta workers can start building turbines as part of a UK, and if necessary, Government-owned company.

At the same time, we need to start taking tough action against the Conservative-controlled Councils, who are being negligent by opposing windfarms and are standing in the way of the practical measures needed to tackle climate change.

We are going to have a long battle to tackle climate change, so Labour needs to show it will take the tough action necessary to win through and deliver alternative energy supplies, a low carbon economy and thousands of green jobs.

Tags: Vestas

Posted on August 5, 2009 in Economy, Environmental and Green Issues, Jobs.