Public to vote on top coal villain

Climate activists plan to swoop on a coal power station later this year, but they’re not yet sure where.

To decide, they’re engaging the public in an X-Factor style vote called Britain’s Got Direct Action.

Voters can choose whether the climate camp protest will descend this year on the Drax plant in Yorkshire, the UK’s biggest single emitter of carbon, or the E.ON Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant in Nottinghamshire.r.

Together the plants emit over 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

Specially trained direct action campaigners will attempt to shut down the chosen plant for a weekend in October.

Anyone with an eco-conscience who wants to get involved has been invited to receive training on non-violent direct action tactics at the climate camp protest in London later this month.

Through the poll, organisers are aiming to widen the appeal of environment protest.

One spokesperson said climate camp wants to end the perception that it is made up of “dangerous radicals and middle-class kids”.

“We are trying to broaden the movement out to Marks & Spencer clothes-wearing people,” he added.

Ed Miliband, energy and climate change secretary, urged protesters to avoid direct action because it “alienates people”.

“But when you have a coalition of Greenpeace, the Women’s Institute and others engaging in peaceful campaigning, that really does have an effect on people,” he added.