Fracking tsar quits ‘no purpose’ job

The UK government’s fracking tsar has quit the post after just six months, claiming policy around the controversial process means there is “no purpose” to her job.

Natascha Engel told Greg Clark, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, developing the industry will be “an impossible task” despite its “enormous potential”.

In a resignation letter to Mr Clark, she accused environmental activists of being “highly successful” in encouraging the government to curb fracking.

Greenpeace said ministers should put the fracking industry “out of its misery” and focus instead on developing clean technologies. Former Labour MP Ms Engel wrote: “A perfectly viable and exciting new industry that could help meet our carbon reduction targets, make us energy secure and provide jobs in parts of the country that really need them is in danger of withering on the vine.”