20% of Labour and Lib Dems against fracking

A fifth of Liberal Democrat and Labour candidates have said they will oppose fracking despite their parties’ views. The Pledge, circulated by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, asked candidates to promise: […]

A fifth of Liberal Democrat and Labour candidates have said they will oppose fracking despite their parties’ views.

The Pledge, circulated by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, asked candidates to promise: “If my constituency is at risk of fracking, I will oppose it. If my constituency is not at risk, I will oppose fracking nationwide.”

It has been signed by more than 1,000 prospective MPs from all seven parties who stood in the leaders’ debates.

This represents a quarter of those standing in the election. Roughly half of these come from the Green Party but only three from the Conservatives.

Of the 630 Labour and Lib Dem candidates, 153 and 143 made the promise.

Tessa Munt, a Lib Dem spokeswoman for energy and climate change told a news outlet that ending fracking would be one of her priorities in the next parliament.

Another Lib Dem spokesman told reporters: “The UK has significant stores of unconventional gas, which could be accessed through the process known as fracking.

“It is vital that efforts to access this gas be properly regulated to protect our natural environment.”

A survey commissioned by Greenpeace, released in March, showed voters’ views on fracking is roughly split in the middle.

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