Academic Joanna Williams has urged the UK Government to "get fracking" in response to the continuing rise in the cost of living.
Earlier this week, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told MPs the Government’s position on fracking remains unchanged, adding that exploration would be carried out if it were “safe and sustainable”.
Mr Kwarteng faced calls from MPs to clarify ministers’ stance on hydraulic fracturing for gas in England, amid the move to punish Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine by the phasing out of Russian oil.
The Cuadrilla fracking site at Preston New Road in Blackpool Lancashire.
Peter Byrne
Labour called for the Government to maintain the moratorium against fracking, with shadow secretary for climate change, Ed Miliband, asking: “Will he confirm that the moratorium that was put in place will remain in place, no ifs, no buts, as fracking would not make any difference to the prices consumers pay, is dangerous, and would take decades to come on stream.”
Responding to a question in the Commons from Labour MP Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East), Mr Kwarteng replied: “I will be very clear. I actually funnily enough, I was a minister at the time this written ministerial statement on fracking, hydraulic fracturing, was made. ‘The Government has always been clear that we will take a precautionary approach and support shale gas exploration if it can be done in a safe and sustainable way’. That remains our position.”
Academic Joanna Williams
GB News
But Mrs. Williams, appearing on GB News' Dewbs & Co to discuss how the UK can cut the cost of living, suggested the government should start fracking.
She said: "We need to produce more, we need to get fracking, we need to get North Sea gas, we need to grow more of our own grain and crops in this country.
"We’re in this bizarre situation where huge swathes of land across the south-east of England use solar panels, why don’t we engage in fracking instead.
"Get gas out that we’re sitting on and use that land for growing crops. By producing more, you lower prices in the long-term."