Responding to news that Scottish Ministers have called in a planning application from a Chinese state-owned company to build a wind farm substation on the site of the old Cockenzie Power Station, Liberal Democrat energy spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:

“Cutting local representatives out of the loop, before they have even come to a decision, risks giving the impression that Scottish ministers are more interested in touting for Chinese business than respecting local decision making.

"Scotland needs to harness its offshore wind resources, but this a strange decision for ministers to take at this stage and local people will understandably wonder how their views will now be taken into account."