THE dust may still be settling on the General Election, but ever since the polls closed, millions of words have been written analysing what the parties did right and wrong and what the direction of the United Kingdom will be over the next five years. One observation which has consistently appeared in the media has been why some big issues were buried. Europe, for instance, was a word barely uttered in the whole four-week campaign. Transport was another which was a bit of a political non-starter. And so was nuclear power. That is something which is going to tax the political will of the Labour Government sooner rather than later and it's something which is of particular relevance to Merseyside and North Wales. Trawsfynydd last generated power more than a decade ago and Wylfa is sitting on death row. So what's the next move? Recent media reports suggest that environment secretary Margaret Beckett is spending her time blocking bids by other departments to commission a new generation of nuclear power plants. Her actions could cost the new Government dear, since the UK is set to face substantial gas and electricity shortages in the near future unless measures are put in place to replace the old nuclear plants, most of which are due to be decommissioned in the next decade. Things could get a lot more tricky for the Government as it faces up to that reality. The UK's ageing nuclear plants which provide around 33% of the nation's electricity needs will need replacement either with a similar option or with a better alternative. Prime minister Tony Blair is reported to be under pressure from the nuclear industry to make an early decision on whether to commission some new nuclear installations, given the long lead times before plants comes on stream. Some critics believe new stations are needed to address both climate change and the country's long-term energy needs. If the Government did sanction the building of new nuclear facilities, this would be a major boost for Warrington-based British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL). Wales Green Party is one body which has already stated its opposition to any sites and there are those within the major political parties who could make the new Government highly uncomfortable. The Green's leader Martyn Shrewsbury said: "Greens believe nuclear power has no place in an integrated and sustainable framework for power generation. "There is no economic argument for nuclear energy and the creation of nuclear waste creates a disproportionate and unacceptable social, economic and environmental burden for future generations." | 
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