Lib Dems U-turn on nuclear power?

The charge levelled is this: "The Liberal Democrats have ditched one of their most distinctive election pledges and will approve a new generation of nuclear power stations,"
I think that's misleading. Oh yes, it plays nicely into the typical journalistic trope about U-turns; dramatising and stirring emotional responses out of very little really. Is it really a U-turn by the Lib-Dems? I think not, and here's why.

Those of us opposing nukes for power have been saying for years(heck; search this blog for 'nuclear power' and you'll find stuff going back years on this) that -leaving aside the issues about storage and dangerous substances, terrorism and security- one of the big issues is that in 60 years of developing the technology, it's never been able to pay its way. It can only exist with subsidy. So, cannily, by insisting on no subsidy this becomes a de facto moratorium on nuclear power. In fact, if you see a nuke being built, you'll know a subsidy has been found somehow.

Of course the trick will be to hold the line on the subsidy issue. But remember, unlike most green tech may be enjoying temporary subsidies to build capacity, but that will be temporary. Nukes seem incapable of existing without subs.

Lib Dems perform U-turn on nuclear power | Politics | The Guardian