Huge show of support for banning fracking
Town participates in government consultation bid
Residents in Shotts have called for a ban of fracking in Scotland.
They made their views known during a public meeting in Springhill Community Centre.
The meeting was attended by residents who voiced their concerns about the environmental and health damages which the use of unconventional oil and gas extraction would bring to the town and the wider area.
The meeting was part of a wider consultation held by the SNP Government.
The Labour Party are attempting to ban fracking altogether, which has been met with overwhelming support.
A public consultation on the proposal shows that over 87 per cent of respondents were in favour.
Over 1000 people took part in the consultation, one of the highest rates in Scottish Parliament history.
Central Scotland MSP Richard Leonard repeated his support for a full and unconditional ban of onshore unconventional oil and gas extraction.
He said: “The message from our communities and from the consultation is loud and clear – we do not want fracking.
“When I stood for election, I promised to keep campaigning for a complete and total ban on fracking and, today, I am standing by that promise.
“Our area is right in the fracking firing line and for too long we have had a sticking plaster solution from the SNP. “
Shotts MSP Alex Neil said: “The SNP has already banned fracking pending a review of all the health and safety and environmental impacts it could have. This is a sensible way to approach this matter. What people like Richard Leonard clearly don’t understand is if you do this without proper scientific evidence then the government would be open to a challenge in the courts. Far better to do it properly.”
Our area is right in the fracking firing line and for too long we’ve had a sticking plaster solution from SNP Richard Leonard