Who says that fracking wells are bad to look at?
Amid all the nonsense spoken about the approval for fracking in Yorkshire, BBC environment reporter Roger Harrabin claimed that the public do not want gas wells in their areas, much preferring windmills and solar farms. No doubt because it was the BBC on which he was delivering this message, he wasn’t asked to supply the evidence for such a claim. As it happens, there is a classic photograph on the web that illustrates his point — though not how he meant it. in this picture of a rural area near Barenburg, in Saxony, Germany, among all the windmills — you’ll have no trouble seeing them — there are 11 gas wells. See if you can spot them. Then decide which you prefer.
PHILIP FRANKLIN, Wellesbourne, Warks. THE chairman of North Yorkshire County Council planning committee says he ‘understands the passion and frustration’ of those opposed to fracking. The number of people opposed to this activity is significantly higher than those in favour, but the council is Conservative dominated, clearly following its masters in the Government. The Tories are interested only in money and profit (often for themselves) and one wonders exactly who is going to benefit from fracking. A spokesman for the company concerned delivered a Spider-man ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ speech, but you just can’t believe it these days. Look at the finances of the Tory party leader, the Prime minister. They set the tone for all those below him in the party. One wonders how safe are the standards of this company when, at the end of the day, all that matters to energy companies is profit. This denial of local feeling shows what a myth the concept of democracy is. democracy is more than just having a vote, it’s about having that vote listened to. i can’t help but wonder (to borrow a phrase from dennis Skinner MP) what dodgy dealings have gone on. Where next in Yorkshire will true democracy be exposed as a myth on this issue?
TERRY MAUNDER, Kirkstall, W. Yorks.
WHEN i lived in North Yorkshire, it became pretty obvious to me that 90 per cent of the land was owned by about four aristocratic landowners. i’m no socialist, but it was described to me thus: ‘You’re either one of us, or one of them.’ i can only conclude that the anti-frackers are of the latter. The major landowners and local politicians are never in favour of turning down the chance to make a few bob. democracy is of little consequence in North Yorkshire: the place is positively medieval (through still preferable to the Socialist Republic of West Yorkshire, where corruption is on a different level altogether).
PAUL CHARLES COOK, Dewsbury, W. Yorks.