Nuclear test for the SNP

THE state-owned, French nuclear power company, EDF, is to buy British Energy, which has its HQ in East Kilbride. The upside of the deal is that the French will finance the next generation of British nuclear power stations. The downside is that Scotland will lose control of another large company, hard on the heels of HBOS. True, the head office of British Energy is to stay at East Kilbride, but effectively strategic decision-making will pass to Paris.

This is worrying given the need to make Scotland a leader in the energy business.

In normal circumstances, the Scottish Government might be expected to put up a hard fight to retain local ownership and jobs. But according to the First Minister's ...