Postcards demand Sellafield plant closure

Around 1.3 million postcards, have been delivered to Prince Charles, British Nuclear Fuels chief executive Mr Norman Askew and British Prime Minister Tony Blair demanding the closure of the nuclear plant Sellafield.

Ali Hewson, the wife of U2 singer Bono who is behind the campaign, delivered one of the pre-paid postcards personally through the letterbox of No 10 Downing Street on Friday April 26.

The postcard, which features the phrase: “Tony, look me in the eye and tell me I’m safe” was delivered to 1.3 million households across Ireland. They arrived, free of charge to Number 10 Downing Street courtesy of the Irish postal company An Post.

Bono and his wife - an anti-nuclear campaigner - live in Killiney Bay in south County Dublin - just over 100 miles away from Sellafield.

“I’ve always felt strongly opposed to Sellafield”, said Ali. “It is 60 miles away from the Irish coast. It is pumping two million gallons of radioactive liquid waste into the Irish Sea every day, making the Irish Sea the most radioactive sea in the world. If an accident happens at the plant, or if there is a terrorist attack, depending on which way the wind blows, Dublin, Dundalk, Drogheda, Belfast, and vast parts of Ireland, would be uninhabitable. Forever.”

However, the British Government denies Sellafield poses the risk the Irish Government and pressure groups believe.

Proceeds from all of the postcards are going to victims of the Chernobyl disaster.

Ali Hewson added: “The postcards are a peaceful yet powerful way for the Irish people to express our desire to have Sellafield shut down. The more cards we send, the stronger our message will be.”

(AMcE)