Another myth debunked: Labour does NOT support the Tories on fracking

Snouts in the trough: Martin Rowson's Guardian cartoon goes straight to the heart of the matter - fracking isn't about ending the energy crisis, or even extracting shale gas in a reasonable way; it is about GREED.

Snouts in the trough: Martin Rowson’s Guardian cartoon goes straight to the heart of the matter – fracking isn’t about ending the energy crisis, or even extracting shale gas in a reasonable way; it is about GREED.

… at least, not without some cast-iron promises about how this gas is to be mined.

According to the Sunday Express (of all places), “The opposition says it will not support fracking without transparency about chemicals used in the process, monitoring of groundwater and environmental impact assessments for all drilling sites.”

“Shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex, who has admitted shale gas ‘may have a role to play’ in Britain’s future energy needs, warned Labour might yet withhold support.

“He told the Sunday Express: ‘If the Government accept our amendments, there will be much more thorough regulation, but there are other issues.

“’The real test for the Government is to move beyond their rhetoric about shale as the silver bullet that will solve all our energy problems.’”

Let nobody say that Labour supports the Coalition on unregulated mining of shale gas by fracking!

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6 Comments

  1. Jeffrey Davies September 10, 2014 at 7:44 am - Reply

    you only have to read about the states who had trouble with this process isnt life strange when you need the internet to find out about this and strangly they never tell you its your monies they use to get this gas and after the deed is done if that will cost to much to clear up that said company goes bankrupt yet that happens too in america the tax payer ends up with the cost of clean ups yet how can they clean up underground when they pumped that poison down nah its just another ploy to keep the revenue coming in gas won’t be cheaper and the benefit will be for that company director yes this isn’t good just put in poisoned by fracking you will be amazed how many get gassed water perhaps they should advertise we fill up your gas lighter now theres a thought jeff3

  2. Mr.Angry September 10, 2014 at 10:10 am - Reply

    Well that is encouraging to hear which I feel will go a long way in Labour’s favor if they truly question the affects of fracking and act responsibly on the issue which many are against.

    Having discussed the affects of fracking with friends who are chartered engineers, geotech engineers and one in particular and gas and oil exploration scientist, all have their reservations. They advised there is a lot more research to be done prior to this practice taking place. Their major concerns relate to underground water resources which I can totally agree with on hearing their views.

    If Labour are truly concerned about this they should say so and make the electorate aware of their concerns, it would go along way if they use it in their manifesto as many across the country are extremely anxious about fracking and so they should be.

    I am fortunate to reside in an area of outstanding beauty in North Wales and have recently read in the local rag that licences to frack have been applied for to Denbighshire and Flintshire Councils, I await the outcomes of those applications with dread.

  3. Ian Duncan September 10, 2014 at 7:55 pm - Reply

    But we know Labour are still neoliberal economically, even if they have dropped the New prefix, just listen to their weaslly words on TTIP. Nothing you quote above gives any indication that fracking wouldn’t go full steam ahead under a Labour government next year. Environmental impact assessments can be rigged or ignored, independent findings/advice can be swept under the carpet or dismissed out of hand.

    This version of Labour – with or without the New – don’t listen to anyone but the CBI because the recent intakes of MPs are all economically way to the right of most of us. This what we’re left with.

    Labour privatised bits of the NHS. Labour brought in tuition/top-up fees. Labour had us join in the killing hundreds of thousands on Iraqis for oil and the petrodollar. Labour brought in ESA and Atos. Labour has promised to be tough on ‘welfare’ (Labour introduced the stigmatising American term ‘welfare’ to Britain…). The Labour spokesperson was absolutely equivocal about the effects of TTIP on the NHS in an email to me. And where are these MPs now? Still in the HoC, most of them.

    Leopards. Spots.

    • Mike Sivier September 10, 2014 at 8:17 pm - Reply

      Nothing I’ve said gives any indication that fracking will go ahead under a Labour government next year, either.
      Your claims about EIAs and independent advice imply that you believe Labour would act corruptly – and you have no evidence for that.
      Your claim about Labour’s MPs being way to the right of most of us is also your opinion – you have no proof of it, and in practise it may make no difference anyway.
      And your “leopards/spots” comment about Labour is easily disproved by pointing to the difference between Labour before Tony Blair and Labour under him. These animals have changed, demonstrably, in still-recent memory. You cannot claim they cannot do it again.

      Your argument pushes all the right emotional buttons but is factually unconvincing.

      • Ian Duncan September 10, 2014 at 10:40 pm - Reply

        Fracking will go ahead because the Labour bod who deals with it says it will play a part in our energy provision. Also, their track record in giving business what it wants suggests so,

        The leopards/spots remark ix relevant because nobody wants to change the party, the MPs are 90% neolibs with the occasional Dennis Skinner as a sop to the left.

        And the public are to the left of Labour in as much as they want a public NHS (Labour are far from convincing on that, they *will* put more services out to contract…), they also want privatised utilities and railways renationalised, a compulsory living wage (again, Ed M is very weak here) and better union laws. Labour are wishy-washy at best on these things.

        Tony Blaii did change the party overnight but let’s see if Ed M parachutes a load of lefties in to safe seats as Bair did with his disciples… (I doubt it will happen)

        • Mike Sivier September 11, 2014 at 12:24 am - Reply

          The Labour ‘bod’ you mention has only said that fracking “may” have a role to play. There’s a big difference between that an “will play a part” and we don’t like misinformation on this blog. The signals get garbled enough.

          You are also wrong that nobody wants to change the Labour Party. I’m on the inside and I know that there is constant energy to ensure that the party’s direction is closer-aligned to the people.

          Labour wants a public NHS. What services have you seen Labour say it will put out to contract?

          Labour wants the Living Wage – and has managed to introduce it on several councils.

          As for the rest of the things you say the public wants – Labour members want them too, but the Parliamentarians will have to look at the national finances to see whether these can be achieved. There’s certainly a lot of thrust to renationalise energy companies.

          You seem determined to paint a broad-brush picture of Labour that is belied by the evidence.

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