Government fracking push meets resistance

The government crossed a red line. For the first time ever it has given the go-ahead for a company to start fracking [1].

Business Secretary Greg Clark has just turned his back on the local community in Lancashire by allowing Cuadrilla to frack.

It’s sad news but we won’t give up on Lancashire. Cuadrilla wants to start fracking soon, but we’re exploring all legal options to stop it. And let’s remember it’s taken 7 years for the fracking industry to finally get permission to frack one site – testament to the determined opposition from people like you.

But now the government has put forward new plans to fast-track fracking. This could open the floodgates to drilling up and down the country. Local communities – which have led the resistance against fracking – could be silenced.

The new policy isn’t set in stone – the government will consult on it this summer. And if we kick up enough of a fuss, we can force the government to back down.

But under the government’s new plans, fracking companies would no longer need to apply for planning permission to carry out exploratory drilling. These ‘permitted development’ rights were originally designed to allow minor home improvements like putting up a garden shed – not major drilling infrastructure.

Can you sign our petition to tell the government not to trample on local democracy?

Best wishes,

Fiona and the fracking team