‘It’s been tried, it didn’t work’: Blackpool MP says he doesn’t support the return of fracking on the Fylde

The Blackpool South MP says he doesn’t support the return of fracking, following the government’s u-turn on a moratorium on the process in the UK.

Jacob Rees-Mogg was addressing parliament earlier, after it was confirmed that the ban on drilling for shale gas, introduced in 2019 following failed attempts at the site at Preston New Road, was to end.

The government has lifted a ban on fracking for shale gas, even though a review concluded that forecasting related earthquakes "remains a scientific challenge". Drilling by energy company, Cuadrilla, at Little Plumpton was stopped after it caused tremors above set limit of 0.5 on the richter scale.

There were also plans to drill at Roseacre Wood.

Business and energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said strengthening the UK's energy security is "an absolute priority" in light of "Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine and weaponisation of energy".

But Scott Benton, the Conservative MP for Blackpool South, said both he and his constituents opposed the idea.

‘’The Secretary of State will be very aware of the strong opposition my constituents have to fracking’’, he said during the debate.

‘’The Prime Minister said it would only take place if there is strong local support for it.

‘’However, this poses many questions. What is local community and how do you ascertain if it can command local support, and what incentives are going to be provided to local communities that have fracking imposed upon them?

‘’My constituents are anxious about fracking returning to the Fylde coast. And so, when will they receive an answer to some of these questions?

In response, Mr Rees-Mogg said: ‘’It is important for the national interest that we have secure supplies of gas. But this will affect some residents much, much more than others. Therefore, it is only right that they are compensated, and receive some financial benefit for the inconvenience that they would have.

‘’The majority of this inconvenience doesn’t come from the extraction of shale gas, but from the building of the well in the first place and the movement that comes with that. It’s important that people are rewarded for doing something that is in the national interest.’’

Speaking after the debate, Mr Benton said: ‘’I don't support fracking returning locally. I know many of you share this view. The Prime Minister has been clear in stating that it will only return where there is community support.

‘’It's been tried on the Fylde Coast before and it didn't work. I can't see a situation where most of you will support its return and so at present, it's unlikely fracking will resume in the immediate future.’’

The government claims the gas could start flowing within six months, but experts say it could take a decade, doing little to enhance energy security or lower bills. Its climate advisors have warned of the risk of locking the country into fossil fuel infrastructure when it should be transitioning to green energy.

Cuadrilla Resources Limited said they welcomed the decision.  

Cuadrilla CEO Francis Egan said: “I am very pleased that the Government has quickly and decisively followed up the Prime Minister’s announcement of two week ago with today’s WMS.

‘’Communities across the North of England stand to benefit most from today’s announcement. Cuadrilla is determined that a portion of all shale gas revenue should be delivered to local residents as a community dividend. This would mean each producing shale gas site could generate potentially hundreds of millions of pounds for local households, families, and communities.

‘’On top of this, a thriving shale gas industry will drive job creation across the North of England, generate much needed tax revenues for central and local government, and help tackle spiralling gas prices.’’

In a statement, the campaign group, Frack Free Lancashire, said: ‘’Fracking is a failed technology in the UK and should absolutely be confined to the past. We’ve witnessed more than 10 years of attempts to jack gas out of the ground in Lancashire, with no progress. There has, however, been uncontrollable earthquakes and structural damage – almost 200 reported claims.

“There’s also been colossal methane leaks, community disharmony, and most notably: zero commercial gas produced.

“We’re in a climate crisis with a desperate need for a clean, green energy future. Fracking will not make any positive impact3 on the UK’s energy needs or fuel bills, and any attempt to suggest it will, is blatant spin.

"For the government to use the tragic situation in Ukraine as an excuse to allow a risky and fruitless procedure to go ahead where it has repeatedly failed, and with Jacob Rees-Mogg's belief that communities "must tolerate a higher degree of risk and disturbance" for "the national interest" is an appalling trade-off.

“We stand strongly opposed and united against fracking anywhere, and we will fiercely challenge this misguided administration’s attempt to backtrack on their Conservative Manifesto promise.”