No more nukes, say public

Fewer than one in 10 Britons support the Government's plan to build more nuclear power stations, according to a new opinion poll. And only three per cent oppose the construction of wind farms, despite a vigorous public campaign against them.

A poll carried out by BRMB International will shock the Government as it puts the finishing touches to its new energy policy, due to be revealed next month.

It will also strengthen the case for a reordering of priorities. It shows that only eight per cent of Britons support the building of new nuclear power stations, and 60 per cent oppose them.

By contrast, three per cent of the public oppose wind farms on land. Offshore wind farms are even more popular, with only one per cent against.

A second poll, commissioned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), also shows that 19 out of 20 Britons have heard of global warming and that three-quarters are concerned about it.

Yesterday Sir Bernard Ingham, a paid consultant to British Nuclear Fuels, called the poll "valueless''. He said that his campaigns had succeeded in stopping two-thirds of applications to build wind farms in Britain.

But Mark Avery, of the RSPB, said: "The poll demonstrates that the public has a sophisticated appreciation of the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of generating power. Let's hope the Government takes more notice of the views of British people than of Sir Bernard's opinions.''