Murphy rules out fracking in Scotland

Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has announced that a Scottish Labour Government would stop onshore fracking in Scotland.

Although the Scottish government has power of veto ,enabling them to stop fracking through the planning process. Murphy has said that now the decision over shale gas extraction will be devolved to Scotland through the Smith Commission, he would to stop fracking altogether.

This would be done through a “triple-lock system”, involved the following steps

• A local referendum before final planning approval is given;

• Halting any fracking in Scotland until the lessons of fracking in the rest of the UK are learned;

• A comprehensive review of the baseline conditions before any planning application is granted;

He has also called on the SNP Government to stop any onshore fracking in Scotland immediately and the UK Government to suspend the current fracking licensing round in Scotland.
 
Murphy explained his reasons for taking this position over fracking:

“If I am elected First Minister in 2016 there will be no onshore fracking in Scotland until it has been shown beyond all doubt that it can be carried out safely. 

“People are rightly concerned about shale gas. They are worried that it will be imposed on their community against their will and without their consent. I will not let that happen.

“So the next Scottish Labour Government will give local communities full control over onshore fracking in their area through a local referendum. No development will be able to take place without a majority of local residents endorsing any planning decision.

“In the past Scotland has been used as a testing ground for bad policies. Mrs Thatcher’s poll tax is an example of this. That should never happen again. No application for onshore fracking will even be considered in Scotland until we see what happens in other parts of the UK. I will not let Scotland become a guinea pig for fracking.

“In Scotland we have a beautiful and bountiful landscape, and a fragile ecosystem that we must protect. Almost all of Scotland is considered to be a drinking water protection area. With this heightened sensitivity, it would be reckless and unnecessary to push ahead with fracking without a thorough and comprehensive review of the baseline conditions in Scotland before any applications can be permitted.

“The SNP Government in Edinburgh already has a veto over fracking through planning and permitting. The First Minister should use these powers now to stop any fracking taking place in Scotland. 

“With the new powers coming to Scotland through the Smith Agreement, all decisions about fracking will soon be made here. The UK Government should suspend the current licensing round for fracking until the powers have been devolved. These decisions about Scotland need to be made in Scotland.”