NEW PRIME MINISTER Gordon Brown acted unlawfully during his first appearance at the despatch box for Prime Minister's Questions, according to lawyers acting for Greenpeace.

Following a High Court decision earlier this year, no government decision to support new nuclear power stations can lawfully be made before a public consultation has been carried out. However, during PMQs on Wednesday, Gordon Brown ignored the Court's ruling and sabotaged the ongoing consultation by stating that: "We have made the decision to continue with nuclear power."

In doing so, Brown has performed a public u-turn on his promise to listen to the people after little more than a week in power.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, lawyers for Greenpeace have asked him to "immediately and unreservedly withdraw the government's decision to support the building of a new generation of nuclear power stations."

In February, Mr Justice Sullivan ruled that the previous energy review, which backed new nuclear power stations, was not the ‘fullest public consultation' the Government had committed itself to before making a decision to back new nuclear power stations. The commitment had been made in the earlier energy white paper in 2003.

Mr Justice Sullivan said that the consultation exercise was "seriously flawed" and that the process was "manifestly inadequate and unfair" because insufficient information had been made available by the Government for consultees to make an "intelligent response".

John Sauven, director of Greenpeace, said: "Brown has ridden roughshod over a High Court decision. And, by publicly stating that he'd already come to a decision while carrying out what is now very obviously a sham consultation, he's acted unlawfully.

"Brown said he'd be a different kind of leader, that he'd listen to the British public, but after just a week in power he's said he doesn't care what people think about nuclear power, he's going for it regardless. We thought we'd seen the back of this kind of politics when Tony Blair left office." 

For more information or a copy of the letter to Gordon Brown, please contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.

The government's decision to back a new fleet of nuclear power stations was today declared to be unlawful in the High Court.

The government will have to conduct a new, fuller review if they want to justify the future of nuclear power in the UK.

In the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Mr Justice Sullivan agreed with Greenpeace, who brought the case, that the energy review was not the 'fullest public consultation' the government had committed itself to before making a decision to back new nuclear power stations. The commitment had been made in the earlier energy white paper in 2003.

Mr Justice Sullivan said that the consultation exercise was "seriously flawed and that the process was manifestly inadequate and unfair" because insufficient information had been made available by the Government for consultees to make an "intelligent response".

The court had heard last week that the government failed to present clear proposals and information on key issues surrounding a new generation of nuclear power stations, such as dealing with radioactive waste and financial costs. Greenpeace and other groups were also denied the opportunity to comment on relevant documents which the government failed to disclose.

Sarah North, head of Greenpeace's nuclear campaign, said: "The government's so-called consultation on nuclear power was obviously a sham, and we're pleased that the Judge has agreed with us.

"The government completely failed to consult adequately and even kept relevant documents to themselves. They've now been forced back to the drawing board to conduct a proper and lengthy review.

"Nuclear power is a dangerous distraction from the real solutions to climate change as it only represents 3.6 per cent of our total energy. It's entirely obvious that there are more efficient, effective, safer and cheaper ways than nuclear power to meet our energy needs and cut climate change emissions. 10 new nuclear power stations would only cut C02 emissions by 4 per cent. As well as being too little, it will also be too late. Climate wrecking emissions need to be cut now, not in 20 years."

For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.

Why nuclear power isn't the answer to climate change:

• 10 new nuclear power stations would only cut the UK's C02 emissions by 4 per cent. This would be wiped out by the predicted rise in aircraft emissions alone.
• New nuclear power is not a relevant or timely response to the immediate need to reduce C02 emissions. Any nuclear new build programme would not see the first reactor come online until around 2018 at the earliest, with the main delivery of the programme not arriving until around 2025-2030. C02 emissions need to be cut years before.
• Nuclear power's effect on C02 emissions is very small. Although nuclear power currently provides about 20% of our electricity (reactor problems regularly reduce this), it only provides 3.6 per cent of the UK's total energy.
• Nuclear power stations only marginally address hot water and central heating needs, and don't meet needs for transport at all.
• There is no safe solution to nuclear waste.
• There is a much cheaper, better way to meet our energy needs and cut C02 emissions. A decentralised energy system will slash C02 and cost far less than a new generation of nuclear power stations, making maximum use of combined heat and power and renewable energy.