Labour conference: Corbyn Swansea tidal lagoon pledge

Jeremy Corbyn has promised to back proposals for a tidal power lagoon in Swansea Bay if Labour wins power.

Plans for the lagoon were rejected by Tory UK ministers in June, but Labour's leader backed them as part of a "green jobs revolution" on the final day of the Labour conference in Liverpool.

Shadow cabinet member Nia Griffith told BBC Wales such schemes were "important for climate change and the economy".

Local politicians heavily criticised the scrapping of the £1.3bn project.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said it was not value for money, despite claims by developers Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) a revised offer made it cheaper and £200m backing from the Welsh Government.

Mr Corbyn promised a "green jobs revolution" in his party conference speech, where he did not mention Swansea.

But on Twitter Mr Corbyn said: "The Conservatives failing to back the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project was the wrong decision for our economy, the wrong decision for jobs and the wrong decision for the future of our planet."

Earlier, Llanelli MP Ms Griffith told Radio Cymru's Post Cyntaf programme it was "very important that we create more renewable energy and we support projects like the Swansea tidal lagoon".

"It's part of our plan to create more energy here in Britain instead of using so much oil," she said.

"We've seen the price of oil rising and rising, so it's important for climate change and for the economy."

Ms Griffith dismissed UK ministers' ruling that the Swansea scheme did not represent value for money.

"The fact is the price has come down and down - and there's no risk at all to the government because you don't pay until the electricity is ready," she said.

"The investment to create the lagoon doesn't come from the government. This is done to start with and you don't pay until you get the electricity.

"And the fact is the electricity from so many other sources will increase in cost. The price is value for money now - and it will become more so [value for money].

"The tide comes and goes. It's regular. You know what you'll get from it. There's not a lot of maintenance and so on. It's value for money."

In a statement, Tidal Lagoon Power said: "Tidal power is a no brainer for our island nation.

"We welcome Labour's continued support for a tidal lagoon programme that starts with the transformational Swansea Bay pathfinder project."

The company has struck an agreement with creditors and shareholders to help pay off its debts, after losing £4.2m in 2016 according to its most recent set of accounts.

The company said the deal meant it could continue work to deliver the project.