Fracking

2022 - 10 - 19

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Image courtesy of "BBC News"

Fracking: Tory MPs set to defy Liz Truss in loyalty vote (BBC News)

By Nick Eardley and Joshua Nevett · Three Tory MPs look set to defy the government on fracking, after it declared a vote on banning shale gas extraction a " ...

Nevertheless, defeat for the government would have political consequences. Meanwhile, Labour believes the government is walking into a trap. "Any process to determine local consent must be run independently and this House will vote on any scheme that we bring forward." Shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband said the motion gave Tory MPs a "simple choice" between banning fracking and allowing the government to "impose" the activity on communities. "I know this is difficult for some colleagues, but we simply cannot allow this. It will be voted on at 19:00 BST in Parliament.

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Image courtesy of "Ilford Recorder"

Tories make Labour fracking motion 'confidence vote' in Liz Truss's ... (Ilford Recorder)

Conservatives who favour a ban will be challenged to vote with the Government or face losing the whip.

“The Tories must urgently confirm this is the case.” But shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire said: “The consequence of making this a confidence vote is that if the Government loses the motion on fracking, the Prime Minister will resign and the government will fall. The consultation will consider “all of the relevant people – the regional mayors, the local authorities and parishes as well as the concerns of those directly affected”. Tory MP Steve Double, who represents the Cornwall constituency of St Austell and Newquay, argued Labour has “overplayed their hand on this occasion”. The Prime Minister told him: “We will consult on a robust system of local consent, give clear advice on seismic limits and safety before any fracking takes place.” “We are voting NO and I reiterate, this is a hard 3 line whip with all slips withdrawn.”

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Truss faces major rebellion on fracking as senior Tories pledge to ... (The Guardian)

Chris Skidmore, head of PM's net zero review, among Conservatives willing to vote against government.

Labour called on ministers to “urgently clarify” the status of the vote. This is a confidence motion in the government. But Truss’s government changed this last month, to the anger of campaigners and a number of Tory MPs. This is not a motion on fracking. Greg Knight urged him to remove the ability of planning inspectors to overturn councils’ decision on fracking, so these were considered the “expression of local consent”. He said: “The government’s defence of fracking is collapsing.

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Image courtesy of "Dudley News"

Government defeats bid to ban fracking amid chaotic Commons ... (Dudley News)

Conservative whips initially stated the vote on whether to allocate Commons time to consider legislation to stop shale gas extraction was being treated as a “ ...

Mr Maynard said he would much rather the Government stood by the moratorium on fracking contained in the Conservative Party manifesto although he welcomed commitments from Mr Rees-Mogg to allow a vote on the process for local consent. During the debate, Ms Edwards said the Government frontbench should “hang their heads in shame” as she said the leadership had “severely tested” Tory MPs’ trust by the way they had approached the vote. When Conservative MP Ruth Edwards (Rushcliffe) asked the minister to clarify if those Tories who abstain or vote against the motion will lose the party whip, Mr Stuart added: “That is a matter for party managers, and I am not a party manager.”

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Image courtesy of "Evening Standard"

Communities will have 'veto' on fracking, says Jacob Rees-Mogg (Evening Standard)

Tory MPs have been told a Labour vote seeking to ban fracking is being treated as a 'confidence motion' in Liz Truss's Government.

That is what the consultation will be about. and it may be by local referendum. “If local consent is withheld, that is a veto and it won’t be overruled by national government.” Pressed to define local consent, Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “Let me be absolutely clear, local communities will have a veto. If local consent is withheld, that is a veto and it won’t be overruled by national government [Labour](/topic/labour) vote in the Commons seeking to ban fracking is being treated as a “confidence motion” in Liz Truss’s embattled [Government](/topic/government).

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Image courtesy of "iNews"

What time is the fracking vote today? When to watch the debate live ... (iNews)

Undated handout file photo of the Cuadrilla hydraulic fracturing site at Preston New Road shale gas. author avatar image. By Alex ...

But shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire said: “The consequence of making this a confidence vote is that if the Government loses the motion on fracking, the Prime Minister will resign and the Government will fall. The Prime Minister’s lifting of a fracking ban imposed in 2019 over earthquake concerns breaks a Tory manifesto pledge not to end the moratorium without science “categorically” showing it is safe. This is a confidence motion in the Government. The Government amendment supporting giving fracking the go-ahead in areas where local consent is deemed to have been given was also made a three-line whip. If the Prime Minister loses the vote now, it is being seen as a confidence motion and she would either be expected to resign or request that the King dissolves Parliament, triggering a general election. The Tories instituting a three-line whip means Labour is likely to fail in its bid. [total ban on fracking](https://inews.co.uk/news/liz-truss-speech-greenpeace-climate-protest-conference-address-fracking-1894902?ico=in-line_link), with a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday potentially opening the door to [end the controversial practice](https://inews.co.uk/news/start-fracking-figure-out-how-stop-earthquakes-manifesto-government-1872627?ico=in-line_link) once and for all. Labour is using an opposition day debate to put forward a motion which, if passed, would guarantee time in the Commons for a bill to ban fracking for good. Fracking was originally developed in the US in the 40s, and was first used in the UK in the late 70s to extract oil and gas from the North Sea. The resultant natural gas is widely used in the UK to heat homes and produce electricity. [The Prime Minister has lifted a moratorium](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/liz-truss-gives-go-ahead-to-fracking-but-insists-drilling-will-only-be-done-if-safe-1871462?ico=in-line_link) on the practice as part of her long-term strategy to boost energy security, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Tory MPs have been warned the vote is being treated as a “confidence motion” in Liz Truss’s embattled government.

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Image courtesy of "edie.net"

Government defeats fracking ban vote, turns back on 2019 ... (edie.net)

The Conservative Government has defeated a motion tabled by Labour calling for a vote on the ban of fracking in the UK, but a rebellion by a substantial ...

The UK Government defeated a Labour motion that forced a vote on whether fracking should be banned in the UK late on Wednesday (19 October). The motion was defeated by 326 votes to 230, in a move that sees the Conservative Government abandon one of the key pledges of its victorious 2019 election manifesto. The finding was that these emissions would make delivering the UK’s forthcoming carbon budgets impossible. However, Skidmore post on Twitter earlier on Wednesday that he would not support the fracking vote. I am prepared to face the consequences of my decision,” The Conservative Government imposed a moratorium on fracking in 2019 because companies leading extraction projects could not prove their ability to operate below a threshold for tremors they had previously agreed to.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

How did your MP vote on the fracking motion? (The Guardian)

Labour tabled vote on banning shale gas drilling in England, which Tory whips said would be treated as confidence motion in Truss's government.

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Image courtesy of "ITV News"

Labour motion to force vote on a bill to ban fracking rejected by MPs (ITV News)

A three line whip has been imposed on Tory MPs, meaning they could be forced to sit as independents if they vote against the government.

He accused Labour of trying to “seize” the order paper and added: “Quite clearly this is not a confidence vote.” Speaking ahead of the vote, however, Climate Minister Graham Stuart said the motion “is not a confidence vote”. “A Conservative government will always have my confidence, but its leadership today has severely tested my trust and the trust of many colleagues and I would advise them not to do so again.” “They should take a look at the faces of colleagues behind them, colleagues who have fracking sites in their constituencies, and they should hang their heads in shame. Ruth Edwards, the Conservative MP for Rushcliffe, said she is against fracking but added: “My final observation tonight is for our own front bench, for they have enabled the opposition to force colleagues to choose between voting against our manifesto and voting to lose the whip. MPs have rejected Labour’s motion to allocate Commons time to consider banning fracking, in a vote initially designated by the Tory whips as a “confidence motion” in Liz Truss’s government.

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