‘Wind turbines hurt birds’ says Tory MP (after admitting there’s no proof)

This video from Greenpeace shows Conservative MP, and leader of the anti-wind turbine brigade, Chris Heaton-Harris telling an undercover journalist that he hadn’t “seen any half decent research” on the negative effects of turbines on birds. Heaton-Harris goes on to tell Greenpeace two weeks later that, erm, “there are international studies pointing at this“.

Perhaps Heaton-Harris can enlighten us as to which “international studies” he read in the intervening period.

Not only are Greenpeace less than enamoured with Heaton-Harris, but the RSPB have issued a very strong statement responding to his accusations against them. Martin Harper, the RSPB’s Conservation Director, has said:

“Chris Heaton-Harris is clearly in a spin over windfarms. If only he’d done some ‘half-decent research’ before he started calling us names, he might not have got it so wrong.

“We’re examining around 250 windfarm applications a year to ensure they don’t harm birds and wildlife, and … sustaining objections on wildlife grounds to around six per cent.

“Although Mr Heaton-Harris admits he has ‘no idea’ of the research of the wildlife impacts of wind turbines, the electorate have a generally good understanding of environmental issues.”

Ouch!