Prime Minister Liz Truss hasn’t ruled out bringing fracking back to Lancashire in a “disastrous” interview on a regional radio station.
Ms Truss says fracking will only proceed if consent is obtained from local communities but she couldn’t explain exactly what “local consent” looks like.
Ms Truss was quizzed by BBC Radio Lancashire presenter Graham Liver in the “painful” interview and says she has never even visited Lancashire’s former fracking site on Preston New Road.
READ MORE: Blackpool woman devastated about fracking ban being lifted
In the interview, which aired this morning (September 29), Ms Truss said: “We will only press ahead with fracking in areas where there is local community support.
“Fracking is carried out perfectly safely in various parts of the world and the business secretary will make sure that any fracking that takes place is safe.
“We have to be very clear about why we are doing this. The UK has become dependent on global energy prices.
“We’ve seen through Vladamir Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine how energy prices have shot up and Russia has used the fact that it produces gas as a way of exerting pressure on other countries
“I want to see more home grown energy in the UK. That means using more resources in the north sea, more renewables and more nuclear and it also means fracking in areas where there is local support."
Graham Liver then asked, “what local consent looks like”, and said Fylde MP, Mark Menzies, asked her to outline how local consent will be given. Ms Truss did not have a clear explanation.
She said: “Well… the energy secretary will be laying out in more detail exactly what that looks like, but it does mean making sure there is local support to go ahead.”
“It sounds like you don’t know,” Graham said.
Another chance to hear @GrahamLiver asking Prime Minister Liz Truss about fracking in Lancashire.
— BBC Lancashire (@BBCLancashire) September 29, 2022
Full interview here➡️https://t.co/SL2OQFgHQV pic.twitter.com/On9PJy1ps3
Ms Truss replied: “There are various detailed issued to be worked through. I can assure Mark Menzies I will make sure there is local consent if we are to go ahead in any particular area with fracking.”
Graham said fracking hasn’t received backing from local MPs and said, “the science behind it hasn’t changed”.
He asked: “Why can’t you tell us there won’t be a return to fracking in Lancashire?”
Ms Truss said: “I don’t accept the premise of your question.
“We need to explore where there is and isn’t local consent and we are still doing that work. I don’t think we should rule out the whole of Lancashire.”
Graham then asked if the Prime Minister knows where the Preston New Road fracking site is.
Liz said: “I don’t think I’ve been to that site in the past”
“Shouldn’t you?” Graham asked.
After a short period of silence Ms Truss said: “Well… as I’ve said we will only go ahead with projects where there is local consent I am very clear about that.
“If there is a concern about a particular site those concerns will be looked at and taken into account.”
Since appearing on the radio station Ms Truss has faced criticism for her answers to Graham’s questions.
Dan Bloom said: “BBC Radio Lancashire: ‘Do you actually know where Preston New Road is, where they’re considering fracking?’
“Liz Truss: ‘I don’t think I’ve been to that site in the past.’”
BBC Radio Lancashire: Do you actually know where Preston New Road is, where they’re considering fracking?
— Dan Bloom (@danbloom1) September 29, 2022
Liz Truss: “I don’t think I’ve been to that site in the past.”
Another said: “They are pressing Liz Truss so hard on fracking asking her if she even knows where the fracking site is (she didn’t). Asked 'shouldn’t she?' Silence.”
A third person said: “I really hope that someone is putting together a thread of Liz Truss’s disastrous interviews on local radio today.”
Twitter user @btgolder said: “After crashing the economy and hiding for four days she goes on a local radio spree only to get bodied by BBC Radio Lancashire.
Helen Gallon said: “Liz Truss clearly has no answers. Awkward silences after the questions land.”
Rob Parsons said: “Absolutely superb stuff and I don't think any national interviewer could have done better than Graham.”
BBC Lancashire’s Graham Liver destroys Liz Truss. No wonder she’s been in hiding, she’s absolutely hopeless https://t.co/fIuzyzto9k
— Roast Beef Johnny (@roastbeefjohnny) September 29, 2022
Another said: “Graham Liver destroyed Liz Truss. No wonder she’s been in hiding, she’s absolutely hopeless.”
Dr Eleanor Draeger said: “She just crumbled under the pressure."
Carl Prekopp said he was “hooked” on the interview.
He said: “This one is painfully good. Superb questions about the local area from Graham Liver."
Partially unrelated to the economic mess on the radio this morning, Liz Truss making an idiot of herself talking about local consent for fracking in Lancashire. again, stunning! https://t.co/s6GuDc7teK
— Matthew Cooper (@matt02392) September 29, 2022
Matthew Cooper said: “Liz Truss has made an idiot of herself talking about local consent for fracking in Lancashire. Again.”
Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, Danny Gross, said:“The council and people of Lancashire have been loud and clear that they don’t want fracking, with a 2017 poll showing two thirds of Lancastrians opposing it.
“Yet the prime minister was unable to rule out fracking in the county or explain what she means by ‘local consent.’
“Fracking causes earthquakes, creates more planet warming emissions and will do practically nothing to bring down energy bills. That’s why it’s deeply unpopular with local communities – and why the industry wants to change the planning rules and bypass local democracy.
“Ministers should pull the plug on fracking and prioritise the real solutions to the energy and climate crises: homegrown renewable energy and a comprehensive nationwide home insulation programme.”
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