Second UK Consultation on Nuclear Power Also a Sham

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The British government's second public consultation on nuclear power, "which was run by a company linked to the Prime Minister's personal pollster," has been criticized for material that was "inaccurately or misleadingly presented." In response to a complaint from the environmental group Greenpeace, Britain's Market Research Standards Board ruled that the Opinion Leader firm presented "imbalanced" information that risked leading focus group participants "towards a particular answer." Prime Minister Gordon Brown's pollster, Deborah Mattinson, used to co-chair the firm and "remains a senior figure in its parent company." The Brown government supports building new nuclear plants. The Liberal Democrat energy spokesman said the Standards Board ruling "shows that the Government isn't even competent enough to rig its own consultation." The Brown government says the ruling won't affect its nuclear plans, declaring that "the outcome of the consultation stands." The second consultation was launched after Britain's High Court ruled the government's first consultation on nuclear power a "sham."