Farron Votes Against Fracking In National Parks

Tim Farron MP has today voted against government plans to allow fracking under National Parks.

The government has set out proposals to allow fracking 1200m below National Parks, with drilling taking place from outside the protected areas. This comes despite assurances from Ministers in January that there would be an "outright ban" on fracking in National Parks.

Tim voted against the government's plans to allow fracking under National Parks, but overall MPs voted by 298 to 261 to approve them.

The vote took place with ballot papers, as part of a 'deferred division' and thus was not debated in the House of Commons. Tim criticised the government for using this method, saying "the government's decision to sneak through a huge change to allow fracking in our National Parks without a proper debate is outrageous."

Tim said: "The Lake District has some of the most beautiful scenery in the UK and is home to a huge variety of wildlife, and it would be a travesty for this to be spoilt by fracking for short-term profit.

"There are some sites where fracking should be banned in all circumstances, and the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks are both in that category. It is tantamount to vandalism to not recognise that some areas simply must be protected from fracking so they can be enjoyed by future generations.

"What the UK needs is a low-carbon future to tackle climate-change, yet the government pushes ahead with plans for fracking whilst at the same time cutting support for renewable energy."