Anti-fracking campaigners in Salford are eyeing victory in their battle against Barton Moss drilling, claiming the government are ‘on the back foot’.
David Cameron responded to Sunday’s Salford fracking march by releasing details of a scheme that would entitle councils to £1.7million if they agree to the extraction of shale gas.
He stressed the importance of the initiative which he said would create ‘more jobs and opportunities for people and economic security for our country’.
However, after almost 800 people turned out to support the anti-fracking campaign last weekend, the Prime Minister’s comments were met with defiance from local campaigners.
Frack Free Greater Manchester’s Rachel Thompson said: “The government are on the back foot, they haven’t managed to sell it to the general public because the general public aren’t stupid.
“This isn’t the way to stop climate change, even the government’s own advisors have said if they use fracked gas they won’t hit their legislative climate change targets.
“It shows that we’re winning, just another bribe to try to buy us off and he’s going to find that we can’t be bought off.”
Environmental campaigners feel that the impact fracking will have on climate change far outweighs the potential for economic growth.
Friends of the Earth energy and climate change campaigner Tony Bosworth said: “The Prime Minister thinks that by throwing money at cash-strapped councils, they will ignore the serious risks fracking poses.
“But more money won’t change the risks of pollution to our drinking water, earth tremors and devastation to the local environment.
“And that’s why local residents are coming together to say no to fracking.”
Image courtesy of bisgovuk, with thanks
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