GMB union demands open debate on fracking in UK
18 Nov 2016
Britain needs an ‘honest and open’ debate on the viability of fracking, said Stuart Fegan, National Officer for the GMB union.
He was speaking after the announcement that Nottinghamshire County Council had approved an exploratory licence allowing IGas to drill a well on the site of a former Cold War missile silo.
“The Nottinghamshire licence is the latest to be granted in the UK for companies to see if shale can be extracted in a safe, and commercially viable basis,” commented Fegan.
“It underlines the need for a serious and meaningful discussion on how shale gas could support the UK’s short and medium term energy needs.”
His statement was supported in a press release by the union that described the granting of the licence as an opportunity to evaluate whether fracking offers a safe and commercially viable future for the UK energy industry.
It underlines the need for a serious and meaningful discussion on how shale gas could support the UK’s short and medium term energy needs
Stuart Fegan, GMB National Officer
The 630,000-strong GMB is one of Britain’s largest unions and has raised the issue of within the Labour Party where opposition to fracking remains strong.
Last year GMB Northern Secretary Billy Coates remarked that: “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.”
