Professor John Robertson OBA

The Labour Party in Scotland fully backs the UK Government plans to build new nuclear power stations in Scotland, regardless of widespread opposition to the idea among the population and UK research linking these installations to a range of cancers, but especially breast cancer, thyroid cancer and child leukaemia, in surrounding areas.¹

Meanwhile, in Australia, the Labor Party is campaigning against plans there using research by the former GP now Melbourne University lecturer, Dr Margaret Beavis, who argues:

“There are definite increases in cancer, strokes and heart attacks with nuclear power. With renewable energy we have much safer alternatives,” she said.

“From a health perspective, nuclear makes no sense.

“There are significantly increased rates of cancer, heart attacks and strokes among the workforce in the nuclear industries … it’s very clear that working with radiation has no safe lower limit.”

Dr Beavis said the cancers caused by radiation were different to typical cancers such as those caused by asbestos, rather, they “blend in with the other cancers that happen”.

The former GP turned Melbourne University lecturer said nuclear power plants “definitely increased” childhood leukaemia.

“It’s more than doubled for families living within 5km of a nuclear power plant … there is increased risk for at least 50 kilometres from a nuclear power plant,” she said.²

Dr Beavis has written extensively on these health risks³ but also on the risk of nuclear war resulting from cyberattacks.⁴

There has, of course, been a backlash against Dr Beavis, at times both misogynistic and ageist, but remember these three things.

First, the onus is not upon us to prove these installations are dangerous but upon them to prove they are not.

Second, the backlash often comes from those with a vested interest, including university researchers dependent on government grants.

Third, when reacting to accusations of scaremongering and as we see in Australia, suggestions that Dr Beavis is ’embarrassing’ remember –“First, they will ignore you, then they will laugh at you, then they will fight you, then you will win.” – Mahatma Gandhi⁵

Sources:

1. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=nuclear+cancer
2. https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/labors-latest-nuclear-scare-campaign-warns-coalitions-energy-proposal-causes-cancer-strokes-and-heart-attacks/news-story/48b063d15ac87ca9b290515653b29d5a
3. https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/labors-latest-nuclear-scare-campaign-warns-coalitions-energy-proposal-causes-cancer-strokes-and-heart-attacks/news-story/48b063d15ac87ca9b290515653b29d5a
4. https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/49c14d/contentassets/aef72d5456134ec69e185007b16c44f5/mafpw_dr_margaret_beavis_qons_1_redacted.pdf
5. https://inc.in/congress-sandesh/opinion/first-they-will-ignore-you-then-they-will-laugh-at-you-then-they-will-fight-you-then-you-will-win-mahatma-gandhi