Just reading Saskia Sassen’s “Expulsions – Brutality and Complexity in the Global Economy”.
Her point is that, using highly complex forms of knowledge and technology, predatory global capitalism now systematically operates to drive out people, species and the whole living world from the spaces that sustain life and make it possible. Continue reading
Frack Free Calderdale campaigners are concerned that some of Calderdale’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are under threat from fracking, as the government has performed a U turn on its promise to protect these areas.
Caroline Lucas, the Green party MP, said:
“The government’s U-turn on protecting the UK’s most precious wildlife sites from fracking is outrageous. It’s yet another illustration that ministers simply cannot be trusted when it comes to fracking.”
Following the GMB’s 8th June fracking charter with Offshore Gas and Oil Trade Association, on 18th June GMB Northern Region issued a press release welcoming a briefing on fracking from the Chemical Industry Association. Here it is:
Given the fragility of the oil and gas sector due to price pressures, diversification through shale gas could well become a key employer within the energy sector says GMB Northern Region.
GMB Northern Region welcome a briefing to businesses on fracking which took place in Newcastle upon Tyne today (18th June 2015). See notes to editors 1 for copy of press release from the Chemical Industry Association. Continue reading
Here is a press release from the GMB about its new charter with Offshore Oil and Gas, which describes itself as:
“the leading representative body for the UK offshore oil and gas industry.”
UKOOG and GMB Reach Landmark Agreement on Shale Gas
UKOOG and the GMB have today (8th June 2015) announced the agreement of a joint charter on shale gas, focusing on safety, skills and supply chain development. Continue reading
In January, Plain Speaker reported that Calder Valley people had asked Craig Whittaker MP to access and make public a full unredacted copy of the Defra report on Shale Gas Rural Economy Impacts, so that he could make an informed vote in the House of Commons on proposed new fracking legislation in the Infrastructure Bill.
Of course this didn’t happen.
But now the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ruled that:
“DEFRA has incorrectly withheld the information [and must] disclose an unredacted copy of the report”
in the next 35 days, in order to follow Environmental Information Regulations. If Defra fails to do this, it may be “dealt with as a contempt of court”.
You can download the ICO’s decision notice here
Update:
One of the last decisions of the 2010-2015 Parliament, the Coalition government swiftly passed the Infrastructure Planning (Radioactive Waste Geological Disposal Facilities) Order 2015 with no debate in the House of Commons. This Order extends the Planning Act 2008 to cover nuclear waste disposal.
Over 300 MPs failed to vote. Among those were 246 Labour MPs, 57 Conservatives and 18 Liberal Democrats. The parliamentary record does not show whether they abstained or did not turn up.
241 Conservatives voted in favour – including Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker, along with 30 Lib Dems, 1 Labour (Barry Sheerman, Huddersfield), 3 DUP and 1 UKIP.
The original post starts here
Parliament is considering rapid legislation that would remove the right of County Councils to object to burying radioactive waste underground, potentially at levels where water circulates.
Some Calder Valley constituents – who are worried about proposed new fracking legislation in the Infrastructure Bill which MPs are to vote on in the House of Commons this week – have asked Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker to tell the government to release the full version of the Defra report on Shale Gas Rural Economy Impacts.
The version that has been published (PDF) has over 60 redactions, and Green MP Caroline Lucas has accused ConDem ministers of having “something to hide” over fracking. Continue reading
OK, I picked up a 55p bag of yellow split peas at the Coop today, but a wish for buckwheat led me to Valley Organics, where I found not only buckwheat but an irate shopper complaining that I Gas, the company fracking Barton Moss in Salford, had been discharging radioactive fracking waste water into Manchester Ship Canal.
I recognised him from the anti-fracking meeting addressed by Kirklees Green Party Councillor and Green MEP candidate, Andrew Cooper
Continue reading
Around 60% of the EU population is against fracking, according to European Commission data.
Presumably Members of the European Parliament would have taken this into account when they were due to vote on a proposal to amend the existing EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, to take account of fracking.
Continue reading
Please sign and share this petition to kick fossil fuels out of politics Continue reading