Fracking in Lancashire not ruled out, Reform says

Shale gas "is the energy treasure under our feet," Richard Tice said

Reform's deputy leader has refused to rule out fracking in Lancashire, despite the Reform-led county council ruling out a return to drilling.

Shale gas "is the energy treasure under our feet", said Richard Tice, insisting, "it's made the American economy richer".

His comments come despite Lancashire County Council previously saying conditions on the Fylde Coast were "not conducive to fracking".

"We've got huge shale gas deposits - we should try to see if we can extract them," said Mr Tice. "Some people say there's not the deposits there, we believe there are."

A site off Preston New Road in Fylde became the focus of semi-permanent protest

"Fracking is one method of extraction, there are other methods," said Mr Tice.

The MP for Boston and Skegness said "safely, independently monitored" shale gas extraction "should be looked at".

"In Lincolnshire - my county - people welcome the idea," he said.

Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, has been banned many times by different prime ministers since 2011, amid concerns about earthquakes and the impact to the environment.

A site off Preston New Road in Fylde became the focus of a semi-permanent protest after the government gave the green light for test drilling by energy firm Cuadrilla in October 2016.

The process was suspended – and a national ban, or moratorium, imposed – in 2019 after a series of tremors at the Little Plumpton plot the same year year, the largest of them measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale.

'Get real!'

But Reform, led by Nigel Farage, has told energy firms to get ready to "drill, baby, drill" should it get into government at the next general election.

Simon Evans, deputy leader of Lancashire County Council, has previously said conditions on the Fylde Coast were "not conducive to fracking, and there are no plans for it to take place here".

Mr Tice said: "It is negligent not to even try to extract the energy treasure that can improve our economy, grow the economy, make people better off."

More than 120 tremors were recorded at the site on Preston New Road before drilling was halted.

But the MP has played down the concerns.

"In Lancashire, yes, there was an issue," said Mr Tice, "but when you talk about an earthquake, if you move your chair back and stand up, you've created an earthquake - about 0.5 on the Richter scale.

"Don't be ridiculous, that's not an earthquake, that's standing up and moving your chair!

"If you stand up and drop a melon from your shoulder-height, and that hits the ground, you create a seismicity of 2.0.

"That is not an earthquake - that's the equivalent of a bus going past your door. Get real!"