"Cairns came under criticism in 2018 when reports emerged the government was considering abandoning the project, Plaid Cymru politician Jonathan Edwards referring to Cairns as the "grim reaper of Welsh politics – the bearer of bad news" after Cairns highlighted concerns over the cost of the tidal lagoon relative to nuclear power stations.In June 2018, the UK government announced that the plans for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon would be scrapped.