BRITIAN:Greenpeace claimed that the British government would have to rethink its decision to build a new generation of nuclear power stations yesterday after the High Court ruled that its consultation process had been "seriously flawed" and "procedurally unfair".
Speaking after the legal victory in its bid for an order quashing the decision as "unlawful", Greenpeace's Emma Gibson said: "The government's so-called consultation was a sham and we are very pleased the judge has agreed with us on that.
"If Tony Blair wants to continue with his misguided plan for a whole new generation of nuclear power stations, the government will have to go back to the drawing board."
However, while the judgment, which is subject to an appeal, is expected to result in a fresh public consultation, the Department of Trade and Industry said: "This judgment is about the process of consultation, not the principle of nuclear power. We will, of course, consult further.
"Tackling climate change takes leadership, taking on tough long-term decisions. That is why we continue to believe that nuclear power has a role to play in cutting emissions and helping to give this country the energy security it needs."
Greenpeace had accused the government of reneging on its promise to carry out the "fullest consultation" before making a decision, complaining that it failed to present clear proposals and information on key issues surrounding a new generation of nuclear power stations.
The ruling was a setback for Tony Blair, who has made it a priority of his final months in office to win backing for a new generation of nuclear power stations - a policy opposed by some members of his party.
But the prime minister said that he would push on regardless, because failure to act would "betray the long-term future of the country".
He told Sky News: "If we don't replace our existing nuclear power stations, which are coming to an end, we will find it virtually impossible to meet our climate change targets [ and] we'll end up importing even larger amounts of foreign gas."