Prescott claims his Pound of Flesh

Prescott claims his Pound of Flesh

RAP has learned, via press contacts, that John Prescott and Patricia Hewitt will indeed claim their legal expenses against Cranage Parish Council, for the Council's High Court attempt to overturn Prescott & Hewitt's decision to approve Scottish Power's Gas Plant.

Said John Halstead, Chairman of RAP:

"It would have been nice to have heard direct from Prescott and co, rather than from friendly journalists, but that's just his bad manners. Mainly we're fiercely critical of the sheer, staggering meanness of government departments that spend billions of pounds - not all of it wisely - but want to take their miserable pound of flesh from a Parish Council backed by ordinary local people. We understand the Secretaries of State say there were 'no special circumstances' ruling against their claiming expense, but that's incomprehensible. The fight against the gas plant was conducted on behalf of tens of thousands of Cheshire people who were in fear for their homes. Are we to be punished for that?"

RAP believes the next stage in this process is for a negotiation between lawyers acting for the Secretaries of State, and for Cranage Parish Council, to assess whether or not the full extent of the c.£13,000 costs will have to be paid to the Secretaries of State.

John Halstead added,

"We're confidant in our lawyers and we look to them for some better and fairer treatment than we've had from John Prescott and Patricia Hewitt."

Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer

Future steps for the fight against the gas plant

Following the High Court decision that John Prescott and Patricia Hewitt's approval of the gas plant must stand, and that the Secretaries of State will take their 'Pound of Flesh' by claiming up to £13,000 costs against Cranage Parish Council, RAP is considering future steps to oppose the building of the plant.

Meanwhile one course of action that will certainly be followed up is to ensure full and complete compliance by Scottish Power, with the numerous terms and conditions surrounding the approval that has been granted.