New nuclear row as green groups pull out (of British consultation)

Britain's leading environmental groups are poised to formally withdraw from a government consultation today that will determine whether ministers will be able to push ahead with plans to build a new generation of nuclear power stations.

The coalition which was asked to provide evidence to inform the debate believes the government has failed to fairly reflect the arguments for presentations that will be given to more than 1,100 members of the public that are due to start tomorrow.

The process was forced upon the government by the high court, which ruled in February that a previous consultation was "seriously flawed" and "manifestly inadequate and unfair". At least six groups, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, WWF and Green Alliance, claim the government is distorting the evidence and say they are considering whether to take the case to court again.

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Eight meetings are to be held tomorrow in cities around the UK to present all sides of the nuclear debate. More than 1,100 people will be asked to assess the case for and against nuclear power; they will then be asked to vote. The process is being run by Opinion Leader Research (OLR), a market research organisation contracted by the government to convene the meetings.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/sep/07/nuclearindustry.nuclearpower