Friends of the Earth's shift on nuclear should be celebrated, not denied
Stephen Tindale associate fellow at the CER and former Friends of the Earth campaigner and head of Greenpeace, is a nuclear convert. He told me Friends of the Earth’s position had inarguably changed:
"Friends of the Earth campaigned to get existing nuclear stations closed down, on safety grounds, as well as opposing new nuclear stations. So the current Friends of the Earth line is a change from the past. And the reason for opposing new nuclear is now cost rather than safety.
A change of emphasis, which Tony Juniper accepts has happened, is a change in the campaign. Refreshing a campaign, to use Craig’s word, is a change in the campaign - no point in 'refreshing' but leaving it just the same. Friends of the Earth is not pro-nuclear now, but it is less strongly anti-nuclear and on different grounds."