By Anika Bourley Parliamentary Correspondent

Last updated at 14:00, Thursday, 05 November 2009

Allowing BNP leader Nick Griffin onto the Sellafield site would have damaged chances of attracting investment and safeguarding jobs, it has been claimed.

Sellafield unions last night backed the management decision not to allow the BNP leader Nick Griffin onto the site.

Unions GBM and Prospect said when Sellafield was working to attract overseas investment from foreign governments and companies, the presence of a far right, anti-foreign politician who was not a locally elected representative would damage the chances to safeguard jobs and attract investment.

A joint statement said: “The facts are that any association with the BNP would damage public support for the industry, jeopardise international investment in the Sellafield site, and drive jobs out of west Cumbria.

“Equally, at a time when nuclear generation is recognised as one of the world’s most effective weapons in the war against climate change, we do not believe that any association with climate change deniers such as Nick Griffin would benefit the Sellafield site or workforce in any way.

“As trade unions, we have campaigned long and hard to improve the reputation and standing of Sellafield in the eyes of local, national and international stakeholders. Allowing any visit from the leader of a far-right racist organisation could only have helped undo this work and damage the reputation of the site.”

Last month hundreds of people protested outside BBC television centre in London when Mr Griffin appeared on Question Time. Six protesters were arrested and three police officers injured in the demonstrations.

North West MEP Mr Griffin said he wanted to visit the site which is in his patch, as he is pro-nuclear.

The unions added: “The entire country recently witnessed the acute safety and security issues posed by the leader of the BNP prior to the recent filming of Question Time and security problems of this type should not be imposed upon the Sellafield site by any visitor at any time.

“Sellafield also operates an equal opportunities policy which we fully support. Allowing the head of an organisation onto the site which has recently been prosecuted for its racist whites-only membership policy would damage the site’s well-deserved reputation as an equal opportunities employer.

“On the grounds of safety, security, corporate reputation, international investment, and for the benefit and the security of west Cumbrian jobs we welcome the decision of the Sellafield management team to refuse entry to the BNP and we expect this decision to remain in place for the future.”

Mr Griffin said the decision prevented him from doing his job as an MEP.

First published at 11:38, Thursday, 05 November 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk