Anti-fracking protest held in Lancashire over government plans

About 50 people attended the protest ahead of a full Lancashire County Council meeting

A protest has been held in Lancashire against the government's fracking plans as councillors discuss the proposals.

The government announced in September it was removing the ban on the controversial process, which involves drilling for gas, in England.

The practice was halted in 2019, following earth tremors after fracking operations started in Lancashire.

Green Party councillor Gina Dowding wants planning rules to be changed to prevent fracking in the county again.

She said: "Our proposal, if adopted, means that Lancashire will change the planning rules for any new application to explore for, develop, or produce shale gas in Lancashire - requiring that there must be net zero impact on carbon emissions."

She added the "requirement is already in place elsewhere in the country", adding there is "no new evidence whatsoever to suggest that fracking has become safer".

With the energy crisis globally, the government has supported fracking as a way to boost domestic gas supplies, and since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However some Conservative MPs are in talks with opposition parties to try to block the scheme, the BBC has been told.

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• Fracking will only resume with consent, PM insists

It is understood concerns have also been raised with Prime Minister Liz Truss about her plans to implement fracking where there is "local consent".

Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg recently said firms could increase local support by offering "a royalty for people where the shale gas comes from".