Miliband: Labour will ban “dirty and dangerous” fracking “once and for all”

Ed Miliband has declared that Labour will “stand with communities” against the government’s plans to restart fracking as the opposition party pledges to ban the use of the process for good.

The Shadow Climate Change and Net Zero Secretary will announce on Friday that Labour plans to bring forward a motion in parliament that would ban fracking of shale gas “once and for all”.

On a visit to Bassetlaw with prospective parliamentary candidate Jo White, Miliband is expected to meet with local residents to discuss their concerns about potential fracking near their homes.

Speaking ahead of the visit, the Labour frontbencher said: “Labour will stand with communities in opposing the Conservatives’ dodgy plans to impose expensive, dirty and dangerous fracking on the British people.

“Fracking would make no difference to energy prices and could risk the health of local communities, nature and water supplies. Labour will stand up to Liz Truss’ unjust charter for earthquakes, including her plans to outsource decisions about local consent to fracking companies.”

Miliband will set out Labour’s intention to work with MPs who oppose fracking by tabling an opposition day motion on the the use of the process. According to BBC News, some Tory MPs are already in talks with opposition parties about trying to block the government’s fracking plans.

Fracking is the process of drilling into the earth and directing a highly-pressurised mixture of chemicals into rock to extract shale gas. The government announced a moratorium on the use of the process in 2019 amid opposition from environmentalists and concerns about earth tremors.

Opposition day motions are not binding on the government, but the 2019 Conservative manifesto stated that the party would not support the extraction of shale gas “unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely”.

Jacob Rees-Mogg announced in September that the ban on fracking would be lifted. The Business Secretary revealed that the government plans to “revisit” the seismic limits allowed at fracking sites to ensure that the extraction of shale gas can be done in an “effective and efficient way”.

Miliband will also denounce Liz Truss’ plans to block new solar power projects. The Prime Minister is reportedly planning to ban the use solar on about 41% of the land area of England, equivalent to approximately 58% of agricultural land.

On visit to a solar farm, Miliband will highlight the opposition party’s pledge to triple solar power production as part of its plan to end the use of fossil fuels in the UK’s power system by 2030.

Commenting ahead of the visit, he said: “If Liz Truss blocks solar wind, she will be declaring unilateral energy disarmament – undermining our energy security and forcing the British people to accept decades of higher energy bills.

“Only Labour can deliver lower energy bills and energy security for the UK, with our plans for clean power by 2030 – including trebling solar power – and GB Energy, a publicly-owned, clean energy company, to make Britain an energy independent superpower.”

Keir Starmer set out Labour’s plan for clean power by 2030 at conference last month. The Labour leader said a “central mission” of a Labour government led by him would be to transform the UK into a “clean energy superpower”.

He said the plan would save consumers £93bn off their energy bills, “break the UK’s vulnerability to Putin and his cronies” and “support our drive for higher growth and rising living standards”.

As well as tripling the size of the UK’s solar industry, the party intends to quadruple offshore wind capacity and double onshore wind production by 2030.

Starmer announced at conference that his party will also create ‘Great British Energy’, a publicly-owned clean energy generation company, “within the first year of a Labour government”.

Labour said the role of GB Energy will be to provide “additional capacity” alongside the private sector to “establish the UK as a clean energy superpower and guarantee long term energy security”.