British workers are on site at the new power station at West Pennar, Pembroke, the company building it maintains.

In July, about 500 people marched through Pembroke calling for equal opportunities for local workers to be employed at the power station. A petition has now been set up on the Prime Minister’s office website.

MP Nick Ainger led the march, organised by workers’ unions Unite and GMB, and urged local and UK contractors to tender for work at the site.

More than 100 people have signed a petition urging the Prime Minister to honour his promise of giving British jobs to British people.

The petition, set up by Janette Leonard, states: “The Pembroke power station is about to be built, and to date no British workers have been taken on to work there.

“Currently we understand that only 40 Polish workers have been taken on to work night shifts.

“While this petition understands the need for economic migration in certain circumstances, in this situation there are more than enough British workers to be employed on the site.”

Construction company Alstom denied claims that there are no British workers on site.

UK director of communication, Deborah Risby told the Western Telegraph: “We’ve always said that about two thirds of the work that will be done at the Pembroke power station construction site, from the start to the end of the 44-month project, will be mainly done by British subcontractors. That hasn’t changed.

“Alstom has a 5,500-strong and permanent workforce in the UK which is predominantly made up of UK nationals and we recruit staff according to the specific skills that are needed, not according to their nationality.

“It would be illegal for us to choose a British worker over one from the EU and vice versa: the law allows British workers to work abroad in the European Union and for European workers to work in the UK.”

RWE npower has said that it is gearing up to work directly with the local community regarding long-term jobs available at the power station.

“We are currently planning our first event for March/April time.

“There are about 100 jobs on offer and we are keen for local people to apply,” said a company spokesman.