When you make a mistake, you tend to learn from the experience so you can avoid making similar blunders in the future. Not so the current government which, if it backs a new generation of nuclear power stations, could once again find itself at odds with the law.

Back in February, we took the government to the High Court over its first attempt to hold a public consultation on the future of nuclear power. The court found in our favour, ruling that the consultation was "unlawful" and "seriously flawed". It forced ministers back to the drawing board for a second consultation but once again it's been shaped and guided by a predetermined outcome: the UK will have new nuclear power stations. Members of the public who attended the consultation meetings posted messages on this site about how they felt attendees were lead into finding in favour of nuclear power.

If you were caught selling pirate DVDs, it would be no surprise if you were fined or even sent to jail. After all, you would be breaking the law.

But when companies in Europe buy or sell illegal timber from the last of the world's ancient forests, nothing happens. They won't even have the timber confiscated. Astounding, there are no laws to stop illegal timber or timber products from ending up in your local shops or even in your home.