Exclusive:Swinney calls on Burnham to review Ming Yang's controversial wind factory plans blocked by Labour
Union bosses have also appealed for the Prime Minister to review the security concerns raised over Ming Yang’s plans to build a facility in the Scottish Highlands.
First ministerJohn Swinney has told Andy Burnham to reconsider the UK government blocking plans for a Chinese company to open a Highlands wind turbine factory as the Prime Minister comes under pressure to rethink the decision.
Ming Yang had planned to open its £1.5 billion facility near Ardersier in the Scottish Highlands, which the company said would have created up to 1,500 jobs.
The Scotsman revealed in March that Sir Keir Starmer’s government had decided that the proposed factory should not go ahead over national security and cyber security concerns involving handing a Chinese company access to key energy infrastructure.
The SNP Scottish government accused UK ministers of having “pulled the rug out from under Scotland’s renewables industry” by blocking the project, adding that rejected the plans after sitting on them for so long amounted to “sabotage of Scotland’s industrial future”.
Now, with Mr Burnham in Downing Street, Mr Swinney used his first meeting with Mr Burnham to call for a rethink on blocking the proposals - stressing the jobs and economic growth Scotland could miss out on by turning down the plans. The Scotsman has also learned that the First Minister has formally written to Mr Burnham over the issue.
The Scotsman also understands that Ming Yang has approached the UK government directly, under new management, for a rethink of its decision to block its plans. The company has made contact with the new leadership at Westminster over their plans, opening the door for a rethink by the Labour government.
A UK government source said that there were no current plans to reverse the ban on Ming Yang’s proposals .
The Scotsman previously revealed that the company was eyeing up other potential sites for a facility in continental Europe if its proposals for the Scottish Highlands could not go ahead.
Ming Yang’s UK CEO, Aman Wang, said: “We were disappointed by the government's decision in March.
“We fully respect the government's duty to protect national security, and have always been clear that we will meet the requirements the UK sets.”
He added: “Our proposed investment at Ardersier would bring £1.5bn of investment and up to 1,500 direct jobs, with up to 8,000 more in the supply chain.
“We are committed to supporting the growth in every postcode that this Government wants to see, to re-industrialisation and to lowering energy bills.”
Meanwhile, developers poised to build wind farms off the Scottish coast have raised concerns with The Scotsman’s sister publication, Scotland on Sunday, about the lack of domestic manufacturing for turbines, particularly for the planned scale up of offshore floating wind projects.
The GMB union, which represents energy workers, has called on Mr Burnham’s new energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, to review the security concerns and, if possible, engage with the company to address them.
Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, said: “Our national security is paramount and ministers must always weigh risk against opportunity.
“But our country already imports everything from monopiles and turbine components to solar panels and batteries from China.”
She added: “If our transition to renewable energy is ever to create real jobs instead of promises, we must begin to build the infrastructure here not there.
“If these security concerns can be addressed, ministers should urgently seek the necessary assurances from Ming Yang, review the plans, and find a new way forward.”
Andrew Bowie, shadow Scotland secretary, has called on Mr Burnham to turn down the appeals for a rethink.
The Scottish Conservative MP said: “Andy Burnham must resist these calls to overturn his predecessor’s ban on this project.
“While we all want to support growth in the energy sector across the United Kingdom, I still have real concerns over what this company’s involvement would mean for our national security.
“If Labour’s new Prime Minister really wants to meet our energy needs, he should avoid relying on hostile regimes, and instead finally back new drilling in the North Sea.”
SNP energy minister, Stephen Gethins, said: “We are deeply disappointed that the UK government blocked the use of Ming Yang turbines in UK waters and in doing so prevented Ming Yang’s investment at Ardersier.
“That decision by the UK government will have had implications for jobs and investment locally, but we are continuing to work with the facility and I look forward to my visit there today.”
He added: “While recognising the importance of national security considerations, the First Minister has written to the new Prime Minister urging the UK government to undertake a review of the assessment, highlighting the economic and industrial significance of Ming Yang’s £1.5bn investment proposal and the potential benefits for Scotland's economy, supply chain development, and the wider UK renewable energy industry.
“Scotland has a tremendous offshore energy opportunity and we would encourage the UK Government to fully get behind that ambition.”
A UK government spokesperson said: "After careful consideration the government concluded that there are national security risks associated with the use of Ming Yang wind turbines in UK offshore wind projects.”
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