MP fears fracking near Formby has moved a step closer as energy giant calls for weakening of regulations
Formby MP Bill Esterson says any moves to weaken regulations to make it easier for companies to frack for gas would be “totally unacceptable” and “strongly opposed” by Labour. Mr Esterson also said the government’s support for fracking shows they have no intention of stopping the disaster of climate change.
The Sefton Central MP has been at the forefront of opposition to a proposed fracking site at Altcar Moss near Formby, says there is pressure from companies such as Caudrilla to force the government to change guidance on earth tremors to make it easier to continue fracking even after it causes potentially harmful seismic activity.
The MP says Government must stand up to the fracking companies but so far, the Conservatives have given their full support to fracking, which completely undermines efforts to stop global warming. Mr Esterson has written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Stategy, Andrea Leadsom, after constituents raised concerns, saying: “Following Cuadrilla’s failure to extract sufficient gas from their first fracking site to make it profitable, both they and oil and gas company INEOS (owned by Britain’s richest person, Jim Ratcliffe) have demanded that the government review the limits on seismic disturbance, known as the Traffic Light System. This will allow for greater magnitude earthquakes before fracking is halted.
“The oil and gas industry accepted these limits when they were introduced and didn’t protest until they found late last year that they couldn’t frack profitably within them. Now after just one fracked well, during which time 57 local earth tremors were recorded by the British Geological Survey, they are demanding the rules are weakened.
“The government must not give in to industry demands and move the goalposts.
“The latest polling done by YouGov on behalf of Campaign to Protect Rural England showed that only 13% of respondents feel the government is listening to the public on the issue of fracking, with more than half (51%) believing they are being ignored.
“Fracking has already been forced on local communities, accompanied by the promise from government that it would be subject to ‘gold standard’ regulation. If earthquake limits are reviewed the first time that the industry complains, it would put the interest of billionaires, such as Jim Ratcliffe, before the wishes of local communities and the public, who are opposed to raising the limits, and show the government can’t be trusted to stick to its word.”
The MP added: “Any moves to weaken fracking regulation would be totally unacceptable and completely opposed by Labour. The Government must stand up to fracking companies and say no to their demands to make fracking easier.
“Fracking for gas will add to global warming. The Conservatives say they want to tackle climate change but if that is true why are they supporting fracking? Meanwhile, in Formby, the FRAG run Parish Council is in danger of giving the green light to fracking because its Neighbourhood Plan says fracking could be allowed if it is in the interest of the community. The trouble is that the fracking companies will claim that fracking is in the interest of the community because in the short term they will say they will give money to the community. It is dangerously complacent of FRAG and of the Conservatives to give this support to fracking as it will make global warming worse as well as having an impact on the local community through the impact of the drilling that will take place.
“The Conservatives are supporting the oil and gas industry. Sadly, it seems that in Formby, FRAG is also supporting fracking. In contrast, Labour will support renewable energy and low carbon transport. These will deliver jobs and prosperity as well as stopping global warming. Action is needed now to prevent the harm being done by climate change. I have consistently voted against fracking in Parliament and will continue to do so. Labour in Government will ban fracking.”
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