OUTSTANDING SUCCESS AT NATIONAL CLIMATE CRISIS RALLY IN LANCASHIRE – COMMENTS & IMAGES
21 OCTOBER 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Yesterday saw upwards of 1,000 people marching together for the National Climate Crisis Rally at Preston New Road, following the week where Cuadrilla began fracking operations and five earth tremors were experienced on the Fylde Coast.
Speakers included Tim Farron MP, Deputy Leader of The Green Party, Amelia Womack and representatives from NGOs, the Trade Unions, along with local and national campaigners. All spoke of the urgent need to take action on climate change and to prevent fracking from gaining a foothold in the UK.
Lib Dem MP Tim Farron said:
“Leaving the EU is nothing to the existential threat to humanity of climate change The most important reason to oppose fracking at this site is that fossil fuels must stay in the ground.”
The Green Party’s deputy leader, Amelia Womack, stated:
“It’s rank hypocrisy that politicians who supported the suffragettes are currently criminalising peaceful protest.
“From the draconian use of injunctions to the wrongful imprisonment of three anti-fracking activists, a sustained attack on the right to protest is making it harder and harder for people to stand up for what is right.”
Estelle Dehon, a barrister who has represented several campaigners in legal challenges against fracking, said:
“I know there have been deep disappointments and there may be more with the law.
“But I firmly believe that the law realises that climate change is an existential threat. There will come a day when the law says no to fossil fuels.”
Stephen Hall from Greater Manchester Association of Trade Union Councils said:
“It seems crazy to me when we are threatened with catastrophic climate change as the IPCC if say, we don’t act within 12 years, and the same week we’re going in the opposite direction here on the Fylde, in that we’re bringing in another fossil fuel. Something that we don’t need and shouldn’t want as I’ve often said even if it was safe with knobs on, which clearly it isn’t.
“There are much better alternatives at our disposal which would create considerably more jobs that the pitiful few that would likely be generated by fracking.”
The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, who were the first Union to come out against fracking, also attended the Rally.
Ian Hodson, National President, told the crowds:
“This is our community and when they come for our community, we stand together and fight. We’re a welcoming community and we welcome people from all around the UK and the world.
“But we don’t welcome Cuadrilla. Because what they want to do is put us all at risk. They’re putting thousands of our members’ jobs at risk. There’s over 1000 local people working in the food industry around here and are dependent on a decent water supply. We as people, depend on a decent water supply for food manufacturing and without it, we won’t exist.
“This isn’t an issue about defending jobs: this is an issue about defending the human race.”
A spokesperson for Frack Free Lancashire commented:
“With the IPCC having made clear the existential threat that climate change in general and fracking in particular pose to us all, it was fantastic to see so many people joining together in solidarity for this event. The pledges of support our community has received in recent weeks has been both overwhelming and empowering.
“Cuadrilla caused five tremors in their first week of fracking operations, so the writing is clearly on the wall. It is time for Cuadrilla to pack up and move on because there is no future for them or their industry, either here in Lancashire or anywhere else.”
–-ENDS–
NOTES TO EDITOR
- IMAGE ATTACHED FROM THE EVENT; ALL ATTRIBUTIONS TO REFRACKTION IF USED. Further images available on request.
- 3. In 2015, Lancashire County Council democratically refused planning permission for Cuadrilla’s application to carry out exploratory hydraulic fracturing at Preston New Road, on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. Cuadrilla subsequently appealed to the Secretary of State, who in October 2016, controversially overturned the local council’s decision and gave Cuadrilla the go-ahead for planning permission.
- Blackpool hit by four earthquakes just days after fracking started again in the area
Further information: Claire Stephenson