Naked protesters brave the rain

Environmental campaigners have braved the rain to stage a naked protest outside the annual meeting of troubled nuclear power generator British Energy.

Friends of the Earth Scotland is protesting outside the annual general meeting of the company in Edinburgh to underline their opposition to the use of public cash to keep the company going.

Earlier this year the Government announced it had agreed a deal with British Energy to take on its liabilities of up to £200 million in return for being given special shareholder status.

But FoE Scotland claims that as much as £4 billion of taxpayers' money has been used to keep the company afloat.

Around half a dozen activists stood outside the gates of the Murrayfield Stadium Conference Centre in the Scottish capital holding placards condemning what they called "a rip off".

Two FoE supporters also stood behind specially prepared boards showing two naked businessmen holding nothing but an umbrella and a briefcase to cover their blushes.

The boards carried the word "exposed" and an arrow pointing to the face of the businessmen, who seemingly belonged to the power company.

FoE chief executive Duncan McLaren said: "British Energy has been an unmitigated financial disaster, not just for the shareholders but for UK taxpayers too.

"A staggering £4 billion of taxpayers' money is being spent to keep the company afloat.

"This money would have been far better spent creating jobs by investing in energy efficiency and renewable technologies."

The company produces about one fifth of UK electricity needs and has blamed its financial plight on the high fixed costs of nuclear generation and a sharp plunge in electricity prices following the opening up of the wholesale power market.


Story filed: 11:17 Wednesday 30th July 2003

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