Category: Industry Tactics

Hard times for the frackers

Hard times for the frackers

As Cuadrilla parent AJ Lucas’s share fall yet again to 19c, Kerogen Investments have increased their holding, ensuring that an increasing amount of any profits from fracking in the Fylde will make their way offshore. Of course to make a profit you do have to able to sell your product...

You could almost feel sorry for them

You could almost feel sorry for them

Today whoever runs the industry mouthpiece at BackingFracking, became overwrought – maybe he had been watching the webcast of the closing submissions by PNR and FoE which comprehensively demolished Cuadrilla’s grounds for appeal, or maybe he’s listened to Babs Murphy and her unconvincing submissions for too long – I know...

Can a leopard change its spots?

Can a leopard change its spots?

One of Backing Fracking’s most vocal supporters is Lorraine Allanson who runs a bed and breakfast and holiday cottage complex near Pickering. She also runs a pro-fracking Facebook group and website under the name FORGE on which she bans anyone who expresses any opinion contrary to her own. On her...

Lost in Transit – A Sad Tale

Lost in Transit – A Sad Tale

Today 250 anti-fracking protestors welcomed 40 or 50 of the fracking industry’s hopefuls and a smattering of refugees from Yorkshire to Bloomfield Road. The Police were very complimentary about the exemplary behaviour of all of those present – it was largely a good humoured event, helped along by the hilarity...

So who exactly is Backing Fracking – unmasking the astro-turfers

So who exactly is Backing Fracking – unmasking the astro-turfers

Given what I read in their carefully crafted press releases and on their social media sites, it seems that the astroturfing group which calls itself “Backing Fracking” would have you believe that they are made up of ordinary “residents” who are nothing to do with “the industry and businesses on...

How to shoot yourself in the foot with figures

How to shoot yourself in the foot with figures

One of the hot topics at the moment is the extent of support or opposition to shale gas development. It seems fairly inarguable that the trend exposed by the successive waves of research by DECC has shown a shift in public attitudes, with those opposed to fracking becoming much more...

Hard Talk indeed

Hard Talk indeed

At 4:30 this morning BBC’s Hard Talk featured Francis Egan being grilled by Stephen Sackur   The video must make uncomfortable viewing if you are a pro-fracker as Mr Egan stumbles through a not very convincing case under some testing questions from his interviewer. Some highlights: At 5:26 Stephen Sackur ...