Difference between revisions of "Nuclear spin"

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== Welcome==
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'Welcome to '''NuclearSpin''', a website that tracks the companies, people and organisations behind the campaign to build new nuclear power stations in the UK and worldwide.
  
==Individuals==
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It aims to give you information on who is influencing the debate about nuclear energy, and the tactics that they use to persuade the public we need more nuclear power.[[File:HinkleyC z CCSA.jpg‎|525px|left|thumb|Hinkley Point C in Somerset, England. Source: Flickr/CCSA]]
  
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==Become a contributor==
  
*Lord [[John Birt]] – Until he resigned as Blair's "Blue Skies" advisor in December 2005, Birt was said to have the close ear of the Prime Minister. He was also pro-nuclear. His influence is now on the wane as he has left Downing Street to join Terra Firma, the private equity firm founded by City financier Guy Hands.
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'''NuclearSpin''' is a free encyclopedia, written collaboratively by a wide variety of volunteers and independent researchers, and is part of [http://www.powerbase.info Powerbase].
* [[Jack Cunningham]]
 
*[[Ian Fells]] – discredited government advisor
 
* [[Bernard Ingham]]
 
*[[James Lovelock]]
 
*[[Geoffrey Norris]] – special advisor to [[Tony Blair]]
 
*[[Brian Wilson]] - ex-Energy Minister
 
*[[Sir David King]] - The government's chief scientist
 
* [[John Huttton]] - Work and Pensions Secretary - Nuclear champion. MP for Barrow-in-Furness where Trident submarines were built
 
* [[Jamie Reed]] - the former BNFL press officer who replaced “nuclear Jack� Cunningham as the MP for Copeland.
 
* [[Lord Sainsbury]]
 
  
Maybes:  
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If you'd like to help us expand and update our '''NuclearSpin''' site, '''please email our [[User:Melissa Jones|editor]] Melissa Jones'''. All contributions, big or small are welcome.
Grace McGlynn
 
Greg Butler - both ex-BNFL (Butler still gets £80,000 a year from BNFL) who are on IDM - and who have both done technical papers for NNC for CORWM.
 
Bob Church - until recently AMEC now BNFL
 
  
==The media==
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==About us==
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'''NuclearSpin''' was set up in 2006 to track a massive lobbying campaign launched by the nuclear industry. In that same year, the British Government began a public consultation which raised the possibility for the first time in many years that new nuclear power stations could be built.
  
[[Simon Jenkins]] – Guardian Columnist
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Even though the High Court ruled in 2007 that the Government’s consultation was "misleading, seriously flawed, manifestly inadequate and procedurally unfair", and its plans to build a new generation of nuclear power stations were "unlawful", Ministers still pushed ahead.<ref> Deborah Summers, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,,2013618,00.html Government loses nuclear power case], ''The Guardian'', 15 February 2007, </ref> <ref> BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6364281.stm Nuclear Review "Was Misleading"], 15 February 2007, </ref>
  
==Organisations==
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'''NuclearSpin''' showed how the Labour Government [http://www.nuclearpolicy.info/docs/nuclearmonitor/NNM14.pdf helped the nuclear industry] and documented the close links between nuclear insiders and powerful politicians, such as Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]] and Planning Minister [[Yvette Cooper]].
  
 +
In 2008, the site was expanded to look at the industry campaign for new nuclear in other countries, expose [[The Secret Pro-Nuclear Push In British Schools]] and explain why [[Nuclear is not the Answer to Climate Change]].
  
*[[British Nuclear Energy Society]],
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Nuclear power is now central to the British government’s plans for future energy. But our politicians are not being straight with us about the cost of nuclear power or its safety.
  
*[[Supporters of Nuclear Energy]]  
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For example, the coalition agreement between the [[Conservatives]] and [[Liberal Democrats]] in May 2010 said there would no public subsidies for nuclear – but the Government is now discussing “contracts guaranteeing subsidies for up to 40 years”.<ref> Juliette Jowit, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/18/nuclear-power-ministers-reactor Nuclear power: ministers offer reactor deal until 2050], ‘’The Guardian’’, 18 February 2013</ref> We explore this in our 2012 briefing paper [[Media:NuclearSubsidies_SpinWatch_briefing_May_2012.pdf|Broken Promises: Subsiding the Nuclear Industry]].
  
*[[Nuclear Industry Association]] - The chair of the NIA is BNFL group corporate affairs director [[Philip Dewhurst]].  
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The Government also colluded with the [[Nuclear Industry Association]] to play down the safety implications of the nuclear accident at [[Fukushima]] in Japan in 2011.  
  
*[[Department of Trade and Industry]]  
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In July 2012, the House of Commons [[Science and Technology Committee]] concluded that public does not trust the Government to tell the truth about nuclear. It said 'the Government's position as an advocate for nuclear power makes it difficult for the public to trust it as an impartial source of information'.<ref> Science and Technology Committee, [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmsctech/428/42805.htm Devil's bargain? Energy risks and the public], First Report, 9 July 2012 </ref>
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'''
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This site is designed to help you see through the nuclear spin'''.
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*[[Energy Institute]]
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==NuclearSpin categories==
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[[File:Nuke power Flickr CCSA bagalute.jpg|right|225px|thumb|''Source:Flickr bagalute'']]
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*[http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Category:Civil_nuclear_industry '''Industry''']
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*[http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Category:Nuclear_PR%2C_lobbying_and_consultancy_firms '''PR, Lobbying and Consultancy firms''']
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*[http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Category:Pro-nuclear_organisations '''Organisations''']
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*[http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Category:Individuals_linked_to_the_push_for_nuclear '''Individuals''']
  
*[[Royal Institute of International Affairs]]
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==NuclearSpin news==
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{{Template:NuclearSpin}}
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NuclearSpin investigations and documents from this website have been covered by:
 +
*Spinwatch, [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/5559-hinkley-a-huge-contribution-towards-yesterday-s-energy-thinking Hinkley: A huge contribution towards yesterday’s energy thinking], 28 October 2013
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*Spinwatch, [http://spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/5542-ed-davey-s-nuclear-newspeak Ed Davey's nuclear Newspeak], Pete Roche, 17 September 2013
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*Andy Rowell, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/safety-fears-over-elite-police-officers-drunk-on-duty-at-uks-nuclear-sites-8675660.html Safety fears over elite police officers drunk on duty at UK’s nuclear sites], ''Independent'', 26 June 2013
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*''Spinwatch'' [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/blog/item/5514-how-the-lib-dems-help-edf-to-fleece-the-taxpayer How the Lib Dems help EDF to fleece the taxpayer], Pete Roche, 02 July 2013 
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*''Spinwatch'', [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/component/k2/item/5507-nuclear-costs-and-financesWould you spend £1 trillion to buy more nuclear waste?], Pete Roche, 24 June 2013
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*''Spinwatch'', [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/5481-nuclear-stealth-tax-will-kill-the-poor Nuclear stealth tax will kill the poor], Pete Roche, 26 March 2013
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*''The Independent'', [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/5478-nuclear-boss-wants-to-cut-family-fuel-aid Nuclear boss wants to cut family fuel aid], Andy Rowell and Richard Cookson, 17 March 2013
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*''The Guardian'', [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/feb/20/rwe-npower-nuclear-subsidies-warning RWE boss warns over nuclear plant subsidies], Terry Macalister and Richard Cookson, 20 February 2013, which included information from a ''Spinwatch'' investigation into [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/5460-nuclear-industry-secondments-to-government-departments-responsible-for-policy-and-regulation Nuclear industry staff seconded to Government ministries], 22 Feb 2013 
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*''Spinwatch'', [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/5462-the-liberal-democrats-nuclear-tax-bombshell The Liberal Democrats' nuclear tax bombshell], Pete Roche, 20 February 2013
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*''The Guardian'', [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/dec/26/sellafield-emergency-readiness-nuclear-watchdog Nuclear safety watchdog criticises Sellafield's emergency readiness], Terry Macalister and Richard Cookson, 26 December 2012 also posted on [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/5431-nuclear-safety-watchdog-criticises-sellafields-emergency-readiness Spinwatch], 27 December 2013
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*''Spinwatch'', [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/440-nuclear-hospitality-of-key-officials-exposed Nuclear Hospitality of Key Officials Exposed],  exclusive by Andy Rowell and Richard Cookson, 28 November 2012 (covered in [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/28/nuclear-lobbyists-senior-civil-servants ''The Guardian''])
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*''Spinwatch'', [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/318-big-energys-united-front-nuclear-ccs-and-renewables-lobbies-in-joint-push-for-diverse-energy-mix Big energy's united front: nuclear, CCS and renewables lobbies in joint push for "diverse energy mix"], Pete Roche, ''Spinwatch'', 8 November 2012 
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*[http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/439-is-the-government-about-to-start-lining-the-pockets-of-its-nuclear-friends the Government about to start lining the pockets of its nuclear friends?], Pete Roche, ''Spinwatch'', 24 October 2012
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*Rob Edwards, [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/438-police-trying-to-neuter-anti-nuclear-protest Police trying to neuter anti-nuclear protest], 2 October 2012
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*Pete Roche, [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/429-the-treasury-and-nuclear-power-if-they-arent-sane-how-can-we-trust-them-with-the-nations-finances The Treasury and Nuclear Power - if they aren't sane how can we trust them with the nation's finances?] 17 July 2012
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*Pete Roche, ''Spinwatch'' [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/437-when-is-a-subsidy-not-a-subsidy When is a Subsidy not a Subsidy?], 22 May 2012
 +
* ''Private Eye'' [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate?start=14 Waiving the rules to keep the nuclear power programme on course], Rob Edwards, 21 March 2012
 +
* ''Spinwatch'' [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/436-the-coalition-is-set-to-break-its-promise-on-nuclear The Coalition is set to break its promise on nuclear], 9 May 2012
 +
* Spinwatch, [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/434-a-year-after-fukushima-nuclear-lobby-has-brussels-in-its-grip A year after Fukushima, nuclear lobby has Brussels in its grip], 8 March 2012
  
*[[Nuclear Decommissioning Authority]]
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==Briefings==
  
*[[United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority]] has hired [[Grayling Political Strategy]]
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To help people understand key issues, NuclearSpin publishes a series of briefings.
  
*[[Energy Industries Club]]
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'''9 May 2012''': [[Media:NuclearSubsidies_SpinWatch_briefing_May_2012.pdf|Broken Promises: Subsiding the Nuclear Industry]]
  
*[[Nirex]] has hired [[Promise PR]] and [[Good Relations]]
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Older briefings can be found in our [[Nuclear spin briefings archive|series of in-depth analysis pieces]].
 
 
*[[Royal Society ]]
 
 
   
 
   
* [[The Royal Academy of Engineering]]
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You can also search for other articles on the nuclear push at the [http://www.spinwatch.org/ Spinwatch] site.
 
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* [[The Institution of Civil Engineers]]
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<td width="10"></tr>
 
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* [[The Committee for Radioactive Waste Management]] (CoRWM) has appointed [[Luther Pendragon]] to help it reassure people that nuclear waste is being dealt with (D. Bloch (2005) Luther Pendragon Takes On Nuclear  Waste Brief, PR Week,  12 August, p8).
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==Notes==
 
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<references/>
==Companies==
 
 
 
*[[British Nuclear Fuels Limited]]
 
 
 
*[[AMEC]]
 
  
*[[British Energy]] has appointed [[Craig Stevenson]], formerly [[Monsanto's]] top UK spin doctor, as head of government affairs. Also hired [[Financial Dynamics]]
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[[Category:Nuclear Spin]]

Latest revision as of 16:08, 6 April 2016

Welcome

'Welcome to NuclearSpin, a website that tracks the companies, people and organisations behind the campaign to build new nuclear power stations in the UK and worldwide.

It aims to give you information on who is influencing the debate about nuclear energy, and the tactics that they use to persuade the public we need more nuclear power.
Hinkley Point C in Somerset, England. Source: Flickr/CCSA

Become a contributor

NuclearSpin is a free encyclopedia, written collaboratively by a wide variety of volunteers and independent researchers, and is part of Powerbase.

If you'd like to help us expand and update our NuclearSpin site, please email our editor Melissa Jones. All contributions, big or small are welcome.

About us

NuclearSpin was set up in 2006 to track a massive lobbying campaign launched by the nuclear industry. In that same year, the British Government began a public consultation which raised the possibility for the first time in many years that new nuclear power stations could be built.

Even though the High Court ruled in 2007 that the Government’s consultation was "misleading, seriously flawed, manifestly inadequate and procedurally unfair", and its plans to build a new generation of nuclear power stations were "unlawful", Ministers still pushed ahead.[1] [2]

NuclearSpin showed how the Labour Government helped the nuclear industry and documented the close links between nuclear insiders and powerful politicians, such as Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Planning Minister Yvette Cooper.

In 2008, the site was expanded to look at the industry campaign for new nuclear in other countries, expose The Secret Pro-Nuclear Push In British Schools and explain why Nuclear is not the Answer to Climate Change.

Nuclear power is now central to the British government’s plans for future energy. But our politicians are not being straight with us about the cost of nuclear power or its safety.

For example, the coalition agreement between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in May 2010 said there would no public subsidies for nuclear – but the Government is now discussing “contracts guaranteeing subsidies for up to 40 years”.[3] We explore this in our 2012 briefing paper Broken Promises: Subsiding the Nuclear Industry.

The Government also colluded with the Nuclear Industry Association to play down the safety implications of the nuclear accident at Fukushima in Japan in 2011.

In July 2012, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee concluded that public does not trust the Government to tell the truth about nuclear. It said 'the Government's position as an advocate for nuclear power makes it difficult for the public to trust it as an impartial source of information'.[4] This site is designed to help you see through the nuclear spin.

NuclearSpin categories

Source:Flickr bagalute

NuclearSpin news

Nuclear spin.png This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

NuclearSpin investigations and documents from this website have been covered by:

Briefings

To help people understand key issues, NuclearSpin publishes a series of briefings.

9 May 2012: Broken Promises: Subsiding the Nuclear Industry

Older briefings can be found in our series of in-depth analysis pieces.

You can also search for other articles on the nuclear push at the Spinwatch site.

Notes

  1. Deborah Summers, Government loses nuclear power case, The Guardian, 15 February 2007,
  2. BBC News, Nuclear Review "Was Misleading", 15 February 2007,
  3. Juliette Jowit, Nuclear power: ministers offer reactor deal until 2050, ‘’The Guardian’’, 18 February 2013
  4. Science and Technology Committee, Devil's bargain? Energy risks and the public, First Report, 9 July 2012