Shoddy
"What the poll certainly indicates is that people are more rational than scaremongers suggest – and perfectly capable of performing risk analysis, weighing up the costs and benefits of a technology. "
Rubbish.
How irrational do these scaremongers suggest 'people' are?
And how does this show people are more rational than that?
And how do you know that this 41% minority is performing risk analysis? Is everyone who agrees with you (and me, as it happens) automatically and retrospectively brilliant?
"It's a striking contrast to Germany, where politicians bowed to the "Green" fringe "
It might be a stark contrast to Germany but we don't know because if there has been a similar poll there it isn't referenced.
There'd only be a stark contrast to what you say if our govt. determinedly rejects the Green "fringe" (not that painting this as a sensible, car driving, Top Gear types against sandal eating Greens is either helpful or accurate) and builds more nuke plants.
This is a silly, biased, patronising analysis and doesn't advance the cause of nuclear power one inch. The original Guardian article is better http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/09/nuclear-power-popular-in-uk