Councillor Martin Dimery challenges Sir Keir Starmer’s comments on Hinkley Point C, highlighting environmental concerns.
Somerset: The leader of the Green Party on Somerset Council is upset. He’s not happy with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s recent comments about Hinkley Point C. There’s been a lot of talk about new saltmarshes in the Severn estuary to help with the environmental impact of the nuclear power station.
In a piece for Mail Online, Starmer criticized those blocking big projects. He specifically mentioned the opposition to the fish deterrent EDF proposed for Hinkley Point C. Councillor Martin Dimery responded, saying Starmer’s views could cost him support in the southwest.
Starmer’s remarks came as the government announced changes to the judicial review system. He wants to limit the reasons for these reviews to help infrastructure projects move forward. He mentioned how some people are just trying to delay projects for their own reasons.
Starmer pointed out examples like the expensive bat tunnel for HS2 and the fish deterrent plan. He joked about the underwater speakers meant to scare fish away from the nuclear plant.
Dimery represents the Frome West division and chairs the climate committee. He’s been involved in addressing the phosphates crisis affecting new homes and jobs. He also ran for the Greens in recent elections but didn’t win.
In an open letter to Starmer, Dimery explained the need for the sonar device at Hinkley Point C. It’s meant to protect fish from being harmed by the reactor. He refused to approve EDF’s request to remove it to save money, arguing it would hurt the environment and local fishing.
Recently, there were reports that Starmer said he “hates tree-huggers” during a meeting. He denied this, saying his comments were taken out of context.
Dimery responded to Starmer’s claims, saying that if Starmer is against environmental advocates, he might lose support from many elected officials.
