Fears fracking could re-start in Lancashire as Conservative leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak both back it

A Lancashire county councillor has expressed fears fracking may be back on the national agenda – and once again the north is being targeted.

Labour Group Shadow Cabinet Member for Economic Development, County Councillor Julie Gibson, has raised concerns the two candidates for the Conservative Leadership contest – Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak - have committed to backing fracking in the recent televised debates.

The process of trying to release natural gas from deep underground by injecting millions of gallons of water and chemicals at high pressure to shatter shale rock has been revived by Tory MPs who claim it will help in the current energy crisis.

Fracking was halted under a moratorium in November 2019 after tremors were caused by the two wells at Preston New Road near Little Plumpton.

Coun Gibson said: “I was amazed that both candidates signalled their unequivocal support for fracking and immediately realised that this could mean the return of fracking to

Lancashire. Only last week, we saw Rishi Sunak admitting to taking money out of the North to give to the South.”

“This week we see once again the Conservatives threatening to strip the North of its resources by committing to bringing back fracking. When fracking was last on the agenda, it

was the North West, and particularly Lancashire, that was targeted for this, with sites being identified all over the county, I do not remember many being targeted in the south of

the country.”

“There is a global energy crisis, but fracking is not the answer. We saw the problems with earthquakes that fracking caused in Lancashire – both candidates dismissed these.

What we need is an energy policy that focuses on renewables and promoting the benefits of green energy.

"Fracking is not a long-term answer to the problems we now face, and I am sure the people of West Lancashire and the whole of the County will be making sure that whoever wins the leadership contest is told loud and clear to keep their hands off “frack free Lancashire” - fracking is not welcome here.”