Call for permanent ban on fracking after U-turn

THE Government is facing growing calls to make its fracking ban permanent, as Labour raised concerns the major U-turn could be an election ploy.

Jeremy Corbyn branded the move in the run-up to the December 12 poll an “election stunt”, and said Labour would “end fracking”.

Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom made it clear yesterday that the “moratorium” imposed after a damning report was only in place “until the science changes”.

In Wales, a moratorium on fracking has been in place since 2015.

It came after research from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) raised concerns over the ability to predict fracking-linked earthquakes.

Speaking to reporters in Swindon, Mr Corbyn said: “I think it sounds like fracking would come back on the 13th of December, if they were elected back into office. We’re quite clear, we will end fracking. We think it’s unnecessary, we think it’s pollutive of ground water systems, and also all the evidence from Preston New Road in Lancashire is it’s actually dangerous and has caused serious earth tremors.”

He added: “It seems to me like an election stunt and I think it’s what’s called euphemistically a bit of greenwash.”

The suspension is a reversal of years of support from the Tories, including from Boris Johnson who has consistently praised shale gas extraction and hit out at its opponents.

Shadow housing secretary John Healey welcomed the move but noted that the Conservatives are “playing catch-up now” with Labour’s opposition to the process, which was to feature prominently in the campaign.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the Labour MP warned: “This appears to be temporary.”

The Liberal Democrats raised similar fears, with former energy secretary Sir Ed Davey calling for an “immediate ban now”.