The making of anti-nuclear Scotland: activism, coalition building, energy politics and nationhood, c.1954-2008

This article contributes to understanding how civil nuclear power shaped post-war British history through studying opposition to nuclear energy in Scotland. Over the second half of the twentieth century, pessimistic assessments challenged the optimism that had developed during the 1950s. Under devol...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Contemporary British history 2024-04, Vol.38 (2), p.245-269
Main Authors: Ross, Linda, Gibbs, Ewan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
20th century
Activism
Antinuclear movements
British history
Coalition formation
Coalitions
Decentralization
Demonstrations & protests
Elections
energy
nationalism
Nationalist movements
nuclear
Nuclear energy
Nuclear war
Optimism
Oral history
Politics
Power
protest
Public opinion
Scotland
Social movements
Statehood
Symbiosis
Waste disposal
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Summary:This article contributes to understanding how civil nuclear power shaped post-war British history through studying opposition to nuclear energy in Scotland. Over the second half of the twentieth century, pessimistic assessments challenged the optimism that had developed during the 1950s. Under devolution, Scottish administrations have used planning policies to block future nuclear generating plants, institutionalising a marked distinction with the rest of the UK. The origins of these differences are traced to anti-nuclear protests and the growth of a social movement coalition that linked anti-nuclear activism with growing public sentiment and electoral politics, particularly through the Scottish National Party (SNP). Reflections from oral history interviews are used to examine diverse local protest contexts supplemented by archives from the anti-nuclear movement and the SNP. During the 1970s, protests against Torness power station in East Lothian and the drilling of test bores for waste disposal in South Ayrshire were given a national orientation by SNP politicians. Over the course of the 1980s, the anti-nuclear coalition broadened through growing opposition to Torness and in response to the Chernobyl disaster. These changes encouraged a lasting symbiosis between pro-devolution and anti-nuclear sentiments which were subsequently embodied in policies pursued by devolved administrations during the 2000s.
ISSN:1361-9462
1743-7997
DOI:10.1080/13619462.2023.2293745