Three-quarters of Britons back expansion of wind power, poll reveals

Survey suggests even Tory voters are unlikely to support Conservatives' nuclear-first energy policy

More than three-quarters of the public are in favour of windfarms being built in the UK. That is the key result of an Opinium poll carried out for the Observer in the wake of publication of the government's controversial energy security plans last week.

Ministers backed nuclear power but shunned new onshore wind plants as the main means for protecting the UK against future energy crises. But the new poll indicates Tory voters' backing for wind turbines almost matches that of Labour and Lib Dem supporters - suggesting the move against onshore wind, a result of backbench Conservative pressure, runs counter to the views of the party's own voters.