Keep Lancashire Frack Free

Green Party members, including many in Stockport, have been part of the efforts to keep Lancashire Frack Free. We asked one of our members to tell us about the experience and how we can make a difference. 

Lancashire Responds! On Saturday 8th October hundreds of protesters gathered in Lancashire in response to the Government decision to allow the fracking company Cuadrilla’s appeal to frack for shale gas there. Earlier this week the Secretary of State Sajid Javid decided to accept Cuadrilla’s appeal against the County Council’s decision, back in June 2015, to reject the applications to frack. The anger amongst the protesters was clear, not only at the negligence concerning the public health and safety risks of fracking, and the contradictions with international commitments towards climate change, but also by the sheer disregard for the local democratic process by Conservative politicians in power. Gathered at the Preston New Road site, in Fylde near Blackpool, hundreds of people spent the day marching, listening to speeches, and sharing information about the next steps of the campaign to protect local democracy and the natural environment of Lancashire. Beeping horns of passing motorists almost constantly during the 7 hour protest provided some moral support, reflecting the massive rejection in the polls of the vast majority of the population of this dangerous and polluting form of gas extraction. Green party councillor Gina Dowding spoke to the crowds about the importance of protecting local democracy and life-long Green Party activist Anne Power spoke of her anger with politicians and the need to inform the wider public and engage them in action. With all serious opposition parties united in their rejection of fracking, the need for progressive alliances and a united front against the dangerous actions of the Conservative Government is ever more pressing. 

You can see a video of the protest here

The Government has said it will soon ratify the Paris Agreement - yet going ahead with fracking will completely undermine any commitments to limit warming to 2 degrees. We are calling on Theresa May to hold a vote in Parliament to ban fracking before any drilling takes place - in Lancashire or anywhere else! Sign and share our petition now --->>> greenparty.org.uk/banfracking