"Keep your fracking hands off Warwickshire": Leamington and Warwick MP launches petition to prevent gas or oil extraction in our county

A petition has been launched as part of a campaign to try to prevent fracking in Warwickshire.

Warwick and Leamington Labour MP Matt Western has posted details about the campaign on his website demanding that the Government reverses its decision to allow fracking and calling on regional councils to pledge they will not allow fracking or underground coal gasification (UCG) in Warwickshire.

Mr Western said: “The Prime Minister’s decision to reverse the 2019 ban on fracking will be extremely worrying for the county’s residents who successfully fought to prevent it years ago.

“Fracking and UCG will not help reduce energy prices nor will it increase supply in any notable way.

“They will, however, damage the environment and local communities.

“Fracking is also known to cause earth tremors.

“Instead of extracting fossil fuels, the Government should be investing in wind and solar energy – the cheapest and cleanest forms available to us.

“Fracking is dirty, damaging and undemocratic.

“UCG is similarly worrying to environmental experts.”

A ban on fracking was put in place in 2019 following concerns over earth tremors.

But with the energy crisis worsening globally and world leaders scrambling to secure energy supplies, the use of the controversial process is now back on the table.

The decision comes alongside the publication of a new scientific review into the practice by the British Geological Survey (BGS).

On his website Kenilworth and Southam Conservative MP Sir Jeremy Wright said the Government has a goal to reduce energy demand and that “all households should be able to invest in energy efficiency improvements”.

He said he was pleased a range of programmes are available to support different houses and locations with this.

He also said that the Government is committed to encouraging sustainable travel and that by 2050 “almost every car and van should be an ultra-low emission vehicle”.

Sir Jeremy added: “The Government's flagship Energy Act is focused on decarbonising the UK’s energy sector.

"Everything in the act works towards achieving this goal at the lowest possible cost to the consumer.”

On fracking, Sir Jeremy said: “I fully understand and appreciate people’s concerns about fracking, but let me reassure you that the Government is creating a regulatory regime that provides clear, strong protections for the environment.

"With these in place, I think it is right that we explore and make use of shale gas and oil.”

Business and Energy Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has confirmed that firms can apply to the Government for new licenses to drill for shale gas.

But Prime Minister Liz Truss said developers will be only given permission "where there is local support”, adding: "It puts Britain firmly on track to meet the 2050 target to reduce emissions of all greenhouse gases by 80 per cent.”

It is not clear what difference restarting fracking will make to UK energy bills.

The Prime Minister has said it was part of a long term strategy to make sure the UK was a net energy exporter by 2040.

To view the petition visit https://bit.ly/3S0vMf7