MP denies swearing outburst at nuclear plant

Rachel Gilmour has denied swearing at Hinkley Point C staff

Nuclear power station staff were reportedly subjected to a sweary outburst by an MP when she visited their site, witnesses have said.

Rachel Gilmour, the MP for Tiverton and Minehead, admits there were problems at Somerset's Hinkley Point C when it emerged she had driven there without a valid licence.

But she has denied ranting at members of staff during the visit on 18 February.

EDF, which runs Hinkley Point C, is not commenting on the incident.

After presenting her driving licence as ID, Ms Gilmour was warned it was out of date and told that police had been informed.

The BBC has been told that she reacted angrily, using a highly offensive term to describe a security guard and suggesting he must be a Tory voter.

Afterwards Ms Gilmour was shown a short film about the work at Hinkley Point. Before it ended, witnesses say she turned to senior staff and described the film using another offensive term.

Later, she was introduced to a member of the workforce and allegedly used another offensive term and said she was not there to talk with constituents.

One witness told the BBC he was "dismayed by her disrespectful attitude".

Rachel Gilmour was on a visit to Hinkley Point C, which is under construction

In response, Ms Gilmour has issued several statements.

She said the driving licence had been expired for a short period of time and was "a regrettable oversight".

Regarding the language used, her office's statement said: "Rachel still denies the characterisation of the visit, and the language used."

The Liberal Democrat's senior party officials are involved and have talked direct to Hinkley Point.

Police said they are not investigating the out-of-date driving licence.