‘Idiotic’ devolution at fault for energy crisis because Wales and Scotland banned fracking claims Daily Mail columnist
The “idiotic” decision to grant Wales and Scotland devolution is partly to blame for the UK’s energy crisis because the Welsh and Scottish governments banned fracking, one of the Daily Mail’s regular columnists has claimed.
Stephen Glover, who was a co-founder of the Independent newspaper, said that Wales and Scotland’s decision to ban the process of drilling into the earth to release shale gases influenced England’s decision to do the same in 2019.
In his column, he blamed the “Green lobby” for the UK Government’s decisions to “shut down coal power stations without creating adequate affordable alternatives” despite the “vast coal reserves in the UK”.
He added that “we can now see that it was premature to ban fracking in England in 2019”.
“As a result of an idiotic devolution settlement, the Scottish and Welsh administrations had previously vetoed fracking,” he said.
“We were wrong to follow suit without properly weighing the arguments.”
The powers to license fracking were transferred to Wales in 2018. But when it was done so the UK Government Cabinet Secretary set out their preferred policy was the Welsh Government would not support any applications for fracking.
However, the Welsh Government had already in 2016 directed planning authorities to refer any fracking applications to Welsh Ministers where local planning authorities were minded to approve them. There were concerns at the time however that the Welsh Government did not have the power to block fracking.
In 2017 the Scottish government said an existing moratorium on the technique, which has been in place since 2015, should continue “indefinitely”.
There are concerns that fracking could pollute water or the ground from operations on the surface and release methane, a greenhouse gas, and other pollutants to air.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business and Energy Secretary, is this week however expected to write to the British Geological Survey to request a three-month review of the evidence relating to fracking.
This review is likely to be mentioned in this week’s energy security strategy, to be published on Thursday, but the document is expected to emphasise nuclear power and offshore wind farms as the UK Government’s preferred source of energy in the future.
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Never mind the fact that fracking pollutes groundwater, increases greenhouse gasses and causes earthquakes, let’s blame Wales and Scotland, do people really admit to working for the daily mail?
I never knew until now, how “readers” of The D**** M*** felt when their favourite mind-wiping rag described them as “furious” or The Fury”. They must feel at those times, as I do now. Beyond angry, beyond very cross indeed, beyond red hod hatred.
We must NEVER allow such f****y to go unopposed. That “newspaper” is a disgusting pamphlet of lies and hatred and it has a history of supporting Adolph Hitler.
Daily Mail…what is it good for? Not even wrapping chips…
Absolutely nuthin, sing it again!
Wiping one’s b* tt maybe
Any drilling in his neighbourhood I wonder.
The only drill we want round here has a brilliant video on the culture section…
England’s solution to their energy problem is to build more offshore/onshore windfarms and nuclear power plants in Wales. They’d do the same with fracking
Anther English idiot kick all English party’s out of wales vote Plaid Cymru 🏴
The irony of the best UK fracking fields lying in a swathe from Guildford to Ashford right across Tory heartlands is only matched by God’s little joke in siting the next big offshore drilling licence in Weymouth bay in sight of the most expensive property in the UK at Sandbanks.
No wonder they are miffed at the “Colonies” saying; “In your own backyard first.”
They could turn the Hog’s Back into a wall of windmills, (turbines disguised as windmills).
DM frack off!
If England want to frack, let them. Wales doesn’t need it, don’t want it but, should we ever decide that we do, it should be our decision. Energy (or, more broadly, natural resources) and the law are the 2 areas we should focus on from an indy perspective. Look at the rhetorical angle in this drossy piece – the decision to grant these irrational margin-dwellers has caused . They see it as an allowance. We must strive to consider ourselves as on the way to indy already and, in devolved matters, already there. Further, I hope Nation decide to shift… Read more »
Any excuse to trash the Senedd by the English nationalistic DM and as usual it is completely wrong. There are very good reasons why fracking is bad for the environment. For example, there is no way a fracking company can stop the water they use for fracturing the strata seeping into local groundwater and contaminating it. Cymru is lucky it is blessed by a green energy environment. Wind, water and even solar energy are all ready to be harnessed, Cymru does not need to develop fracking technology. Upon independence we should aim to become totally fossil fuel free.
‘Idiotic devolution settlement?’. Offer Lancashire a devolution referendum now whilst threatening them with the the return of earthquakes and water contamination. They’d bite your hand off.
What is the point of Wales if needs of England are not served?
Dear Daily Mail. We are a country with the right to elect our own government and make our own decisions in regards to fracking. Feel free to criticise the Welsh Labour Government but stop blaming their failures on devolution.
Daily Mail has a cheek calling anyone idiotic. What a pitiful lack of self-awareness. One only needs take a glance at the governing party at Westminster to find a blinding abundance of idiocy. I can’t believe anyone actually reads the Daily Mail and takes it seriously. The most fervently xenophobic, nationalist rag in the whole UK. Can I suggest reading #theweekintory instead?
Sounds more to me like the subtle recognition that England needs to exploit the colonies of Cymru and Alba for resources, at a minimum so they don’t have to risk upsetting their own voters with realities.
But who can’t survive without whom again? Sure Jan.
‘Idiotic’ Daily Mail columnist doing what Daily Mail columnists are paid to do – s**g off the Celts at every opportunity to shore up its Essex Man readership and to satisfy the quislings in our nation.
Another Tory toilet paper Daily Fail attacking both Wales & Scotland’s right to make decisions that benefit not only its people but our environment. Less this perforated at both ends English fascist bottom wiping mag forget. We in Wales know all too well the damage done by English prospecting for coal to our once beautiful valleys. A Wales turned into Swiss cheese to feed England’s racist Empire . Mines left to fill up with toxic water. Hills & mountains ruined with dangerous coal slurry heaps at the ready to murder more of our innocent children as done in 1966 with… Read more »
I would not be surprised if Y Lolfa, at some point, suggested they publish your writings in a collected form Y Cymro. With some editing of the more pithier elements of course…always a pleasure to read…
Welsh and Scots are idiotic says idiotic English tory rag.
Wow that’s a new one ☝️
It’s easy to trash the DM and fracking but you need to offer viable alternatives to get the power on. Green energy sounds good but as we cannot yet store it we need low cost available now alternatives. When the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine I still need to get to work in my EV.
If we owned the ground under our homes and saw fat cheques landing on our doormats as payment for fracking beneath our property I think opinions would soon change.