google-site-verification: googleb77b0e78d57c2188.html Liberal Democrats will BLOCK Fracking - Tessa Munt

Liberal Democrats will BLOCK Fracking


The Liberal Democrats will block Fracking and would halt all current and future operations in England and Wales. The Lib Dems voted overwhelmingly to oppose Fracking at their conference in 2016.

Our focus would instead be placed on renewables, off shore wind, solar and unblocking large-scale ambitious projects like the Swansea Tidal Lagoon.

An average fracking well uses millions of gallons of water [1] and involves a cocktail of chemicals.  In 2011, the Environment Agency found flow-back fluid from operations in Lancashire contained “notably high levels of sodium, chloride, bromide and iron, as well as lead" [2]. Spills and leaks are possible at every stage of the process, risking pollution of the surrounding water table [3].

Other impacts, such as noise pollution, air pollution and the potential impacts on human health also show why fracking is such a controversial method of extraction​.

France has opted for an outright ban of fracking and in Ireland a bill to ban fracking is currently passing through their Parliament.

Tessa voted against Fracking whilst an ​MP, resigning as a junior member of the Government over the matter.  Tessa's successor, James ​Heappey pledged to block fracking in the run up to the last election, but then voted to weaken the very ​environmental protection regulations which would reduce the​ risks.

Tessa said:

"The Conservatives are now the only major party supporting​ F​rackingTheir MPs weakened the ​protections my colleagues and I fought for during the 2010 - 2015 Parliament,​ and with a monumental disregard for local democracy, bulldozed through the local decision to refuse permission for fracking in Lancashire, overturning it from Whitehall​."​

If Fracking comes to Somerset - which is in the Conservatives' plans - it has the potential to cause huge damage.​ It will wreck our​ unique landscape and character, leaving our coastline, ​L​evels and​ hills ‘pock marked’ with concrete well casings. It places our farming, cider and food production​ at risk as we are so dependent on the quality and integrity of our watercourses which criss-cross the land, irrigating our orchards and pastureland.  The risk of spillages and pollution to​ our countryside and towns is real.”

It’s also completely impractical. How on earth do the Conservatives think millions of gallons of water will be hauled back and forth on Somerset’s roads? They're not in good condition and heavy ​traffic is already a big issue locally​”

Tessa Munt

Standing up for Somerset

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