Whilst I'm not someone who instantly recoils at any new technology, the controversy around Hydraulic Fracturing of 'Fracking' has all the makings of a get-richer-quick scheme for Tory-boys. Of course Cameron and Osbourne keep spinning the yarn about how domestic fuel bills will tumble as cheap gas (as has happened in the US) will allegedly flood onto the market. The economics in the UK are very different to the US, and there is no evidence that energy prices will fall. Besides, where have we heard this before? Remember the 'electricity too cheap to meter' clap-trap for nuclear power?
So, at the same time this 'greenest Government ever' is slashing support for renewable energy it is offering massive subsidies for fracking. Why? The real reason is that fracking will shovel money into Tory investors pockets whilst Joe Public picks up the tab in their energy bills. Lord Howell (George Osbourne's father-in-law) of 'the desolate north' gaff, is already ensuring that the dash for shale gas will happen.
In a lovely irony we have a Tory minister saying that he wants to get a fossil fuel out of the ground in areas of the 'desolate north' after his pals made swathes of the north 'desolate' by destroying an industry dedicated to extracting a fossil fuel (i.e. coal out of the ground). Go figure.
media-underground.net