The government might call them ‘fracking payments’; some of us call them ‘bribes’
![[Image: Getty Images.]](https://voxpoliticalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/160807-fracking-Getty-Images.jpg)
[Image: Getty Images.]
Theresa May’s Conservatives know that fracking is unpopular, and they know why.
It causes hideous damage to the environment and lowers living standards for anybody near a fracking operation, while bringing huge profits to the operators who don’t have to suffer the consequences.
Taking that into account, the possibility of payments being made to householders can only be seen as an attempt to bribe members of the public into keeping their mouths shut about it.
Some might be stupid enough to take the money. Let’s hope few do.
Just think forward a few years and it isn’t hard to envisage the result.
It places most of us in a polluted and unstable wasteland, living on locust-burgers while the frack-barons enjoy roast pork from a rapidly-diminishing stock.
Residents affected by fracking could be paid some of the proceeds of shale gas projects, the government has suggested.
A shale wealth fund was unveiled in 2014 to set aside up to 10% of the tax proceeds from fracking to benefit communities in the UK hosting wells.
The PM is now considering paying the money directly to individual households instead of councils and local trusts.
But green campaigners say fracking carries environmental risks and people will not accept “bribes”.
The government’s plan is one option due to be outlined in a consultation on Monday.
Source: Households could get fracking payments under government plans – BBC News
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With falling gas demand across the EU as a whole and the UK, in particular, as well as a global glut of cheap gas, there is no need for fracking in the UK.
From page 8 of E3G’s June 2015 report EUROPE’S DECLINING GAS DEMAND – TRENDS AND FACTS ON EUROPEAN GAS CONSUMPTION:
“Gas consumption is falling across Europe. Gas demand fell between 2010 and 2013 in all but three member states (Figure 3). Demand fell the most in Scandinavia with Swedish, Finnish and Danish gas consumption falling respectively by 35%, 25% and 25% over that time period.
The UK, Hungary and Slovenia are next with falls of 23%, 21% and 20% respectively. Only Poland and Bulgaria have seen a growth in gas demand over the 2010-13 period with growth of 7% and 4% respectively. In Greece, gas demand was at 2010 levels in 2013. Eurogas estimated that every Member State saw a decrease in gas demand between 2013 and 2014, in great part because of mild temperatures3.”
With falling gas demand across the EU as a whole and the UK, in particular, as well as a global glut of cheap gas, there is no need for fracking in the UK.
From page 8 of E3G’s June 2015 report EUROPE’S DECLINING GAS DEMAND – TRENDS AND FACTS ON EUROPEAN GAS CONSUMPTION:
“Gas consumption is falling across Europe. Gas demand fell between 2010 and 2013 in all but three member states (Figure 3). Demand fell the most in Scandinavia with Swedish, Finnish and Danish gas consumption falling respectively by 35%, 25% and 25% over that time period. The UK, Hungary and Slovenia are next with falls of 23%, 21% and 20% respectively. Only Poland and Bulgaria have seen a growth in gas demand over the 2010-13 period with growth of 7% and 4% respectively. In Greece, gas demand was at 2010 levels in 2013. Eurogas estimated that every Member State saw a decrease in gas demand between 2013 and 2014, in great part because of mild temperatures3.”
So what happens with the occupants of a semi detached property where one resident accepts the payment and the other doesn’t?
Likewise what is the position in a rented property between a landlord and a tenant when the landlord accepts the payment but the resident but the residents objects to the dangers facing them?
When they have subsidence and the insurance companies either will not insure there homes or crank up the insurance policy and people find out the value of there house as dropped its to late
Totally bribery ….. good to know the Cons do open as well as covert tactics. What total blantant corruption having swung the green process with local councils et al stating their tame professionals think the process is safe and good to go now trying the old brown envelope
trick. One off or for ever payments?. I guess the potential landowners are already quids in, if it follows the american get rich quick path, so its just sorting out the collatorel damage surrounding the immediate fracking areas which just leaves the placard wavers to
deal with….which of course the compliant police state will duly do the honours. Sorry this just stinks especially with the oil market etc making fracking uneconomic at this point in time.
Fracking is a bad idea and an absolute disaster, it should not be allowed to happen here!