A Labour councillor has backed former Energy Minister and local MP Brian Wilson in criticising SNP policy on nuclear power.

After former Labour MP Mr Wilson told a conference that the SNP government's refusal to allow more nuclear build would cause energy shortages in Scotland Councillor Alex Gallagher wrote to the 'News' with similar views.

He stated: " The Scottish Government's own predictions show a gap between needs and capacity in 2021 to 2023 to current trends.

In September last year, on a motion proposed by myself, North Ayrshire Council requested that new nuclear build be included in the National Planning Framework (NPF) to meet this gap. The new NPF is now out for consultation but there is no provision for nuclear power: it is excluded, not on grounds of predicted need or capacity, but on purely ideological grounds. As a result, and as Brian Wilson points out, there is a great danger that we will not produce enough electricity base load to meet demand in the short-to-medium term."

The full statement and page of views is in the Largs & Millport Weekly News of June 12.