Rebecca Long Bailey responds to fracking announcement

Rebecca Long Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Business and Energy Secretary, responding to the government’s temporary halt to fracking, said:

“Facing earthquakes, air pollution and climate breakdown, communities across the UK fought back hard against Tory efforts to roll out fracking on a massive scale.

“When the Tory government overruled local democratic decisions to halt fracking, communities did not give up. When fracking protestors went to jail, communities did not give up. And now they have forced the government to U-turn in their support for a dirty industry once described by Boris Johnson as ‘glorious news for humanity.’

“It is over eight years since fracking caused earthquakes near Blackpool. The Tories owe the public an apology, and an explanation of how much public money they wasted while ignoring the science.

“The next Labour government will ban fracking – whereas the Tories will only call a temporary halt to it. You can’t trust a word the Prime Minister says.”