A poll conducted in Beverley this weekend by the Beverley & Holderness Labour Party revealed that an overwhelming majority of those who took part said they opposed fracking.
George McManus, the spokesman for the Beverley & Holderness Labour Party said;
“We held the poll to see what the view of the public was and asses how people fell about the extraction of Shale Gas, the data collected will be used to help with our policy-making process.”
“As a party we often hold street stalls, as a rule they are normally enjoyable though this topic meant things were far more serious. We were inundated with people who wanted to take part in the poll and speak with us about the issue.”
East Yorkshire has been thrown into the headlines, here in Beverley the arrival of a number of protesters that have set up a camp on the edge of the town has opened up the fracking debate locally, Mr. McManus added;
“Since the protesters came to the area it has taken a national issue and really localised it. Many of the people who we spoke to in Beverley said they lacked any real information about fracking but wanted to know more.”
Beverley & Holderness Labour Party said of the 500 votes cast 99 people supported fracking, 30 were undecided while the rest were against the extraction of Shale Gas, Mr. McManus is not getting carried away he added;
“Although the results are very interesting we are not reading too much into them at this point. This was not the most scientific poll in the world and we have to take into account many people actively came looking for us to vote against fracking.”
“What this result does provide is a snap shot of people’s thoughts on a local and highlights the need for that the public need more information, so they can make an informed choice.”
“This is going to be an ongoing issue, even more attention will be brought to the topic on a national level as the government looks to change trespass laws so gas companies can mine under people’s homes and their land.”
“As an area we will come under the spot light with the events that are happening close by to Beverley in Walkington and also in other parts of our region.”
Mr. McManus also said that the Beverley & Holderness Labour Party plan on following up this weekend’s poll, he said;
“I would be very surprised if we do not follow this poll up, as a party, we do not support the government’s current policy towards Shale Gas. As a party, we are in the process of putting together our own energy policy at which point our stand on fracking will be clear.”
“Our government are claiming that the Shale Gas will solve all financial, employment and energy issues in the UK, but more research needs to be done to ascertain what impact it will have on environment and the people it’s supposed to benefit.”
Despite being approached by Humberside Police when setting up Mr. McManus said the poll passed off without any incidents, he said;
“In the morning we were approached by the police who wanted to know what we were doing, this has never happened before when we hold a stall in the Town centre. I am not sure if they were expecting trouble, but after we explained why we there they left us alone.”
“We never expected any trouble or had any, as we thought everything passed of peacefully and the atmosphere was very good.”
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