Legal threat to 'Green nuke' consultation

Vote twice if you have two heads

By Andrew Orlowski • Get more from this author

Posted in Law, 20th September 2007 11:48 GMT

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Greenpeace is considering taking legal action over the Government's expensive "consultation" process on reviving the nuclear power industry.

Opinion Leader Research carried out nine meetings and surveyed about 1,000 members of the public on behalf of the Government. In answer to the question whether energy companies should be "allowed to invest" in nuclear power, a narrow majority of those surveyed agreed.

As readers noted in comments, the question didn't point out that nuclear power is uneconomical without huge subsidies - which without matching spending cuts elsewhere in the Government's budget, would require taxes to go up.

Channel 4 News reports that subtle manipulation tactics were used, such as playing soothing music when nuclear was being explained, and doom-laden music when the alternatives were explained (so hydro-electric power gets the Goth vote, then - ed].

Greenpeace, which snubbed the exercise, says nuclear power was misleadingly explained by linking it to climate change - "because the Government knew past research had shown it's the only way to get people to accept nuclear, albeit reluctantly", Channel 4 News reports.

A complaint has also been made to the self-policing body that deals with complaints about market research.

Legal action may result in a third "consultation" exercise. ®

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