Workers' Occupation of Vestas Wind Turbine Factory

The transport union RMT has pledged full support for the workers occupying the Vestas factory on the Isle of Wight. General Secretary Bob Crow is making a solidarity visit to the occupation tomorrow (Thursday) evening.

The occupation is a crucial stand for a Green New Deal against a crazy decision by greedy bosses and incompetent politicians. This factory is the only unit in England manufacturing wind turbines. The Dutch company owning the factory want to close it with the loss of 625 jobs.

The Government's feeble excuse is that the plant made blades for the US market, which were not the right specification for UK wind farms.

This is an acid test of the Government's commitment to green and renewable energy. If they are remotely serious about tackling climate change, they should take this factory into public ownership and protect the jobs.

New Labour can afford the Afghan war, the banks' bail-out, renewal of Trident missile system, new nuclear power stations and MP's expenses scandal. Unless they stop this closure the New Labour climate change strategy will be exposed as a total sham.