Bowie says a Conservative government would legislate for new nuclear power in Scotland
Shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie told the Conservative conference in Birmingham that a Tory government would legislate to allow new nuclear plants in Scotland despite SNP opposition. Scotland's energy minister Stephen Gethins said the plan would override devolved powers.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie told the Conservative conference in Birmingham that a Conservative government would legislate to ensure new nuclear power can be built in Scotland. Evening StandardN “A Conservative government will legislate for new nuclear power in Scotland” Read at Evening Standard ↗ GB NewsR “A Tory Government would build nuclear power plants in Scotland regardless of SNP objections” Read at GB News ↗ Centre · 1He said the UK needs a third large-scale reactor and that "no part of Britain will be off limits", including Scotland, if the party returns to Downing Street. Evening StandardN “We will need a third large-scale reactor, we will build that reactor and no part of Britain will be off limits, including Scotland.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Bowie accused the SNP of using devolved planning law to block nuclear investment, calling its approach "Luddite", and said energy is a reserved power; he told SNP ministers "bring it on" if they object. Evening StandardN “Energy is a reserved power of the sovereign parliament of our United Kingdom” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Evening StandardN “If John Swinney and SNP ministers want to have a fight over any plans” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2He said the SNP's stance costs jobs and harms energy security, and promised "no more Mr Nice Guy, no more devolve and forget". Evening StandardN “The SNP’s luddite approach is costing jobs in Scotland, harming our energy security” Read at Evening Standard ↗ GB NewsR “no more Mr Nice Guy, no more devolve and forget” Read at GB News ↗ Centre · 1The Scottish Government under the SNP has consistently opposed new nuclear sites in Scotland, a position long at odds with successive UK governments; the only remaining Scottish nuclear station is Torness, East Lothian, whose operations have been extended to 2030. Evening StandardN “The position has long been at odds with successive UK governments.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Evening StandardN “The sole remaining nuclear power station in Scotland is at Torness, East Lothian, where operations have been extended to 2030.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Scottish energy minister Stephen Gethins said the Scottish Government is focused on renewables, which he said provide jobs, are safer and leave no nuclear waste legacy, citing industry estimates that offshore wind could support up to 49,000 jobs. Evening StandardN “offshore wind alone could support up to 49,000 jobs in Scotland” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Right · 1In response to the speech, Gethins said "the Tory mask has slipped" and accused Bowie of wanting to "rip up the powers of the Scottish Parliament"; he said nuclear plants are expensive, take decades to become operational and raise safety concerns. GB NewsR ““The Tory mask has slipped,” he said.”“which are expensive, take decades to become operational and have huge public and environmental safety concerns” Read at GB News ↗ Mixed · 2Bowie also attacked Labour over the delayed decision on the Rosebank oil field and Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, claiming Andy Burnham was "running scared" of Green leader Zack Polanski; GB News said the Government insists it needs time to review a mass of material. Evening StandardN “Because Andy Burnham is running scared of Zack Polanski and the Green Party.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ GB NewsR “The Government insists the time is needed to go through a mass of material.” Read at GB News ↗ Centre · 1Bowie pledged that the Conservatives would scrap the windfall tax, end Labour's ban on new licences and approve Jackdaw and Rosebank. Evening StandardN “we will scrap the windfall tax, we will end Labour’s ban on new licences, we will approve Jackdaw and Rosebank and go further.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Evening Standard reports the pledge as a conference announcement, quoting Bowie at length with the Scottish Government's response, and sets out the legal background of devolved planning law.
- Emphasis
- Bowie's policy pledge and the reserved/devolved argument; the Torness context and the Scottish Government's offshore wind jobs figure.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not carry Gethins' later "mask has slipped" response or the Government's explanation of the oil field delay.
- Charged language
- “luddite”“no more Mr Nice Guy”
- For example
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“The SNP’s luddite approach is costing jobs in Scotland, harming our energy security” — Evening Standard
“no more Mr Nice Guy, no more devolve and forget” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- GB News leads on the Tories overriding SNP objections, tying nuclear to the North Sea oil delay and attacking Labour, and presents the policy as confrontational.
- Emphasis
- Defiance of the SNP, Net Zero benefits of nuclear, the Rosebank and Jackdaw delay and the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Torness or the Scottish Government's offshore wind jobs figure.
- Charged language
- “Tories blast”“The Tory mask has slipped”“no more Mr Nice Guy”
What every side reports
- Bowie spoke at the Conservative conference in Birmingham and said a Tory government would legislate for new nuclear power in Scotland.
- The SNP-led Scottish Government opposes new nuclear sites and has used devolved planning powers against them.
- Bowie called the SNP approach "Luddite" and said "bring it on" to objections.
- Stephen Gethins, Scotland's energy minister, responded in favour of renewables.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the plan overrides Scottish powers
- Centre
- Evening Standard reports Bowie's case that energy is reserved to Westminster and the SNP's counter that renewables are the focus, without adopting either view.
- Right
- GB News reports Gethins' charge that the Tories would "rip up the powers of the Scottish Parliament" and Bowie's "regardless of SNP objections" stance.
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Reason for the Rosebank and Jackdaw delay
- Centre
- Reports Bowie's claim that Burnham fears the Greens, noting no ruling has been made.
- Right
- Reports the Government's explanation that time is needed to review material, alongside Bowie's by-election claim.
Andrew Bowie person
Says the SNP blocks nuclear through devolved planning, that energy is reserved, and that a Tory government would legislate to build a third large reactor in Scotland.
“so we will legislate to ensure new nuclear can and will be built in Scotland.” — Evening Standard
Conservative Party party
Presents nuclear and North Sea oil as pragmatic policy for jobs and energy security, pledging to scrap the windfall tax and approve Rosebank and Jackdaw.
“This isn’t ideological for us. It is pragmatic” — Evening Standard
Scottish National Party party
Through Stephen Gethins, says Scotland should focus on renewables and accuses the Tories of planning to rip up Scottish Parliament powers.
“they want to try and do it by ripping up the powers of the Scottish Parliament” — GB News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Conservatives would look to deliver new nuclear energy in Scotland, Bowie says
Neutral Advance report of the Bowie announcement with the Scottish Government's reply.
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‘Bring it on’, Bowie tells Scottish Government over nuclear power
Neutral Reports the speech with extensive quotes, adding the oil field attack on Labour.
Right1 article
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GB NewsR ·
Tories blast SNP’s objections to nuclear power as North Sea oil drilling delays drag on
Mixed Confrontational framing of Tories defying the SNP, linked to oil delays, though it includes Gethins' rebuttal.
- 4 Oct 22:00 First Evening StandardN Conservatives would look to deliver new nuclear energy in Scotland, Bowie says
- 5 Oct 10:51 +12h 52m Evening StandardN ‘Bring it on’, Bowie tells Scottish Government over nuclear power
- 5 Oct 14:21 +16h 21m GB NewsR Tories blast SNP’s objections to nuclear power as North Sea oil drilling delays drag on
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.