Anglo-French 'nuclear deal' anger

Last Modified: 22 Mar 2008
Source: ITN

Anti-nuclear campaigners have reacted angrily to reports that Britain is about to sign an atomic power deal with France.

The agreement to build a new generation of power stations then export the technology around the world will reportedly be sealed next week when French president Nicolas Sarkozy visits the UK.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is also expected to launch a new Anglo-French initiative to combat illegal immigration with Mr Sarkozy.

In 2006 their predecessors Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac created the Franco-British Nuclear Forum to pool technological know-how.

Nuclear power supplies almost 80 per cent of electricity in France but just 20 per cent in the UK.

The Government wants to replace Britain's ageing nuclear plants, which are due to be decommissioned in the coming decade, to shift the burden away from the fossil fuels blamed for global warming.

A Downing Street spokesman refused to discuss the agenda at the Anglo-French summit, to be held at Arsenal football club's Emirates Stadium in north London on Thursday.

Friends of the Earth nuclear campaigner Neil Crumpton said: "The idea of selling nuclear power around the world as a solution to climate change is just nonsense.

"Nuclear power is limited, dangerous and requires a lot of hi-tech skills to deal with the waste. By far the better technology is renewables, particularly solar power in the deserts and wind power in more northerly climates.

"It is these safe, simple, easily constructed technologies that the UK and all other countries should be promoting."

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