The government's long-awaited energy white paper has been delayed for a third time following intervention by Gordon Brown. The Independent
Trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling had intended to publish the document setting out plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations next Thursday. However, it has been delayed until at least the following week and may even be held up until parliament resumes in June after the Whitsun recess.
Although Brown is on record as supporting a new nuclear programme, Whitehall insiders say the Treasury's input into the white paper has been limited. All that may change after Tony Blair's resignation announced yesterday.
The paper was originally scheduled for publication in March. But this was abandoned after the High Court upheld a complaint from Greenpeace. The publication date was then rescheduled to early May and then delayed again to 17 May.