MORE SPIN FROM THE TWINS (the gas plant twins!)

MORE SPIN FROM THE TWINS

Fresh from their backfired attempt to get their own employees to write "impartial" letters supporting the Byley gas plant, the "Gas Plant Twins" have tried again. This time Scottish Power has written to local companies seeking support for the Byley gas plant, on the basis of pie-in-the-sky "promises" of juicy contracts if the project goes ahead. Scottish Power's letter dangles the bait that their policy is to use "local labour and contractors wherever possible" a nice get-out clause, since a massive contract to build the gas plant's three giant compressors has just been awarded to the US company General Electric - about as far from "local labour" as could possibly be.

RAP Chairman John Halstead commented: "Scottish Power ran a 'business forum' attracting local companies looking for contracts, and got them to register their names so they can be used as cannon-fodder, expected to write to County Hall in support of the gas plant! It's typical spin, since the fact is that all the big business will go to specialist contractors way beyond Cheshire." Meanwhile the latest count of genuine letters protesting against the gas plant has topped 8,000 reflecting the will of a community united in opposition to Scottish Power's proposals. Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer