Give thanks for an independent judiciary!

Yesterday, some of my faith in the institutions of the United Kingdom, a faith frequently tarnished by politicians, was restored by a judgment in the High Court. Mr. Justice Sullivan ruled that a challenge from the environment protection group, 'Greenpeace' to the British Government's plans for more nuclear power stations was 'well founded'. The Judge ruled that 'something had clearly gone radically wrong with the consultation process' and that the Government must 'go back to the drawing board'.



Now the odd thing is that for once I agree with Tony Blair in his assertion that a reversion to an emphasis on nuclear power is probably a better option than alternative fuels which create greenhouse gases. I think his energy policy is probably the right one.

However yesterday's judgment emphasised that, whether the policy is right or wrong, Government will not be allowed to produce imperatives in the guise of consultation documents and hope to get away with it. The judge was clear and damning in his judgment that the Government's energy report, 'The Energy Challenge' released last year, was not only short on information from which the public could make an informed decision but in places was 'downright misleading'.




'Greenpeace' is hardly an organisation which has endeared itself to the establishment with some high profile and anger inducing 'stunts' in the past to draw attention to its cause. One can imagine that in some countries the judges might have taken the soft option and turned a blind eye to any deficiencies in the government's approach.

It IS reassuring to know that we have judges who will back an unpopular litigant and tell the British Government that they have to rethink their options, go back to the drawing board, not try to pull the wool over peoples eyes.

It is a facet of our society for which we should be extremely grateful