French power supply company EDF has refused to build new nuclear power stations in Britain unless the “government” — in other words, the taxpayer, pays for them.

The shocking development, a classic example of how the Tory/Labour privatisation policy only privatises the profits but nationalises the debts, was revealed yesterday in a statement by Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, managing director of EDF Energy’s nuclear business in Britain.

Mr Cadoux-Hudson said a programme to build nuclear power plants to meet rising energy needs “would proceed only if the Government ensured that consumers paid more for electricity from fossil fuels, such as coal and gas, which is cheaper but produces more greenhouse gas, making nuclear more competitive.”

In other words, EDF — which is the French state-owned energy company which bought Britain’s nuclear power stations last year — will only build power stations if the British government agrees to artificially raise the price of other sources of energy to cross-subsidise EDF’s operations.

According to reports, the minimum amount needed to be raised per household in Britain is about £227 per year.

EDF energy, whose prices in France are strictly controlled by the French government, has been allowed to buy up large stakes in Britain’s privatised energy market by successive Tory and Labour regimes.

EDF has then used these “free market” conditions (which it is denied in France) in Britain to make a healthy profit with which it subsidises its operations in France.

One of the alleged rationales for privatisation as expounded by both Labour and Tory governments was that once privatised, the energy industry would not have to be subsidised by the taxpayers.

However, EDF’s latest announcement, which is nothing but blackmail (“pay for the nuclear power stations or we will not build them”) shows that taxpayers are still being used to subsidise the energy industry — and are paying rates which ensure a healthy profit for the foreign owners as well.

It is all a criminal swindle which only the British National Party is committed to stopping.