Green Party Councillor Ian
Driver, has accused Thanet South MP, Laura Sandys of being “fracking
clueless”, about plans to explore for
shale gas in her constituency.
Said Driver “I contacted my
MP Laura Sandys, on Tuesday 6th August to ask her opinion
about fracking. Because she is promoting
a “Grand Green Isle” vision for Thanet, which I support, I wanted to find out what she thought about
plans for exploring for shale gas in
her constituency which might lead on to fracking”.
“Laura replied to me on Wednesday
7th July saying there is no fracking in south thanet and no
licence or application. Two year ago there was an exploration bore hole
which found no shale reserves in the area so no local issue at all”.
“ I was extremely surprised
by her reply which was both dismissive and factually incorrect”.
“Coastal Oil and Gas Limited
hold 4 current licences granted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change
(DECC) to explore for shale gas in Laura Sandy’s constituency (1) . Her claim
about the bore hole is also wrong. Coastal Oil and Gas were granted planning
permission by KCC in December 2011 to drill test bore holes to explore for gas
at Woodnesborough. I have checked with KCC and the company has not yet
commenced any drilling work (2)”.
“I am at a loss to
understand how an MP who claims to have
green credentials and who supports a “Grand Green Thanet Isle”, can be so fracking
clueless about what is happening in her own backyard, especially
something as important as fracking which more and more people are become concerned and worried about.”
“The Green Party is the only
major UK poltical party to oppose fracking (3). We will be actively opposing and
campaigning against fracking in Laura
Sandys Thanet South constituency and anywhere else that this dangerous and
damaging method of gas extraction takes place”.
“We challenge Laura Sandys to publically state where she
stands on this issue. Her constituents, who are very likely to be effected by
fracking, have a right to know”
What a gentleman Ian. You couldn't just talk to her could you? Oh no you have to make a big public statement.
ReplyDeleteAfter having supported you over animal exports and taken the matter to the very top, you put the knife in.
Laura Sandys has been the best MP we have had in ages and to say she is conscientious is a gross under-statement. The public from all walks of life and political views support her. You have done yourself no favours this time. I am most disappointed in you, and I hope others voice their opinions.
Well said, Paul, you took the words out of my mouth. Laura's environmental views are well known, but the issue with fracking is somewhat over simplified here by Cllr Driver. The fact is that unless this country finds alternative fuel sources shortly we are going back to power cuts. Our old coal fired power stations have to close long before new nuclear ones can be functioning. Our population is too great to survive on windmills alone and the day we become dependent on imported fuel, and thus at the mercy of other nations, gets ever closer.
DeleteIs fracking environmentally unfriendly and the truth is we do not know. The experts now say lessons have been learned and it can be performed safely. The opponents say that, because in the past, it caused ground tremors in certain places it is dangerous. The difference is that the experts are geologists and oil industry boffins and the opponents are largely those, like Cllr Driver, who move from one protest to the next with no expertise on anything.
Laura quite rightly is adopting a wait and see approach rather than condemning out of hand. For Cllr Driver it is but another self promotional issue following on from the long trail of others in its wake.
The difference, Tom, is that your "experts" are on the payroll and don't live near any fracking site.
DeleteAccording to Ian R. Crane, there have been accidents and leakages into the groundwater at every single fracking operation to date, worldwide.
The truth is, we do know that fracking is a catastrophe for the environment, and we also know that land clearance/land-grabbing/accelerated population reduction is the hidden agenda behind fracking.
Now, as a councillor, it is your duty to find out what local residents want and fight that corner for them, just as Cllr. Driver is doing.
Unless, of course, you are one of those politicians, like Tony Blair, who believes the public are too stupid to know what they want.
Here is a quote from Eisenhower, that you would do well to remember:
"You don't lead by hitting people over the head, that's assault, not leadership."
Rick, yet another alias I see, why address me as Tom and then Councillor? I used my name and google account so what is your problem or is it simply an age thing that leads to your confusion.
DeleteAs for your land grab nonsense, reading elsewhere you have laboured this theory of yours to death over on BigNewsMargate, but your argument convinces no one. Since your main source invariably seems to be Infowars, a conspiracy theorists mecca of site, that is hardly evidence.
Yes, you are quite right, my main duty is to represent the views of the people in my ward and, as yet, they are unknown. On the broader national picture I think the issue needs looking at closely, but, locally, there is at the moment nothing to fight.
You'll always be Tom Clarke to me, old sport, and I am a good deal younger than you.
DeleteListen, Tom, there is nothing theoretical about UN Agenda 21; crackpot, harebrained scheme though it is, it most certainly exists, just take a look at the city of Detroit, or what there is left of it.
Rick, my dear chap, I am not Tom, but if it amuses you to call me such, who am I to deprive you of your little pleasures. As to age, one can only assume from the fact that a decade ago you were blogging as Retired, you must at least be elderly. On the other hand my age has to be available somewhere in my councillor CV so you have me at a disadvantage, if it actually matters.
DeleteDetroit collapsed during the great sub-prime lending crisis and its once mighty car industry collapsed. I really fail to see what that has to do with fracking, but I am, of course, not privy to all the obscure articles and theories on which you base your findings.
Anyway, you have a nice day and start preparing for the next end of the world.
Detroit collapsed during the great sub-prime lending crisis and its once mighty car industry collapsed. I really fail to see what that has to do with fracking,...
DeleteThen let me enlighten you, Tom, 'though as a Chatham House retiree, I am sure you do not need enlightening in this regard; the same velvet-gloved, iron fist that destroyed the US automotive industry and shipped it's remains to China (with TARP bailout money), which also orchestrated the great sub-prime mortgage scam that has unnecessarily crippled the US and world economies and enslaved it's populations, is the very same corporate-fascist iron fist that would like to see shale gas fracturing become a widespread practice... and don't give me that regurgitated parrot sick about "fuel poverty" and energy shortages, because that same iron fist controls most of the world's resources and is deliberately suppressing the otherwise plentiful supply of oil.
Not that we need either oil or gas, when our sun provides us with a phenomenal tera-wattage of electricity in the form of cosmic radiation. Unfortunately, the same iron fist that controls the resources, has the technology for tapping this free, unlimited, 24/7 resource securely under lock and key; I had heard from one source, although I have yet to confirm it, that this technology is actually already in use at No.1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf and supplying much of the big business districts of London.
So you see, Tom, Agenda 21 land-grabbing through fracking is not some crackpot "conspiracy theory" that I have dreamt up, it is not something I think might be on the cards... *IT IS THE PLAN*, and a bit of pre-emptive raising of the hackles can not go amiss in this case.
After all, an Englishman's home is his castle and we are not going to allow a bunch of johnny-foreigner banksters and con-men run us out of them, are we?
Rick, I am afraid this nonsense of referring to me as Tom has gone on long enough. If I am prepared to use my real name, something very easily checked by anyone, the least you could do is afford me the courtesy of using it. There is far too much of this nonsense round the blogs with people jumping to conclusions as to who other commentators are. Some, like you and John Worrow are very recognisable by content or phraseology, but most are not. Hence, until you address me by my real name I shall ignore you.
DeleteRight you are! Tom, old sport, I shall miss our little debates. Your style is immediately recognisable, by the way, I am sure I am not alone in thinking that.
DeleteKudos to Ian, for raising this issue.
Rick, or should that be freeworldlibrarythanet, strangely enough I shall not miss our exchanges. I bored of Thanet ranges, perjury and terrorist plots a long time ago. You are obviously well read and not without intelligence. Just a shame you cannot have a proper debate on the thread of the postings for a change. By the way, since it evidently escaped your notice, fracking is but just another bandwagon for Cllr Driver and he has already moved on to 'coffeegate' and bringing the railways into public ownership. Bet the Rothschilds are behind that brain wave.
DeleteI expect my local MP to have understanding of what is happening in her own constituency, especially something as important as this. In this case Laura Sandys appears not have to clue which is very worrying.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, Cllr, to describe her as fracking clueless is hardly the language of a gentleman or the expected terminology of one elected representative to describe another. More the language of the gutter I would say.
DeleteCllr Epps, Laura seems a nice enough person but she is a useless MP. Her own list of successes a few weeks ago in the Gazette was feeble and over-stated. She remains silent on Manston and TDC corruption in her own constituency.
DeleteA pointless parachute candidate hoping to be re-elected by being anonymous: at least Driver has raised Pleasurama, animnal exports and TDC corruption.
While fracking has repeatedly been proven to contaminate water and set off tremors - today's Guardian details a Texan town where fracking resulted in the aquifer drying up completely.
We don't need fracking in Kent nor Laura in Thanet. You seem fairly useless too as a Broadstairs councillor.
No woinder Tory party membership has plummetted form 3M to 100k. You represent no-one except your own group of party fanatics.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, 16:30, but how would you know if I was useless or not. You do not even live in Broadstairs and have no idea of what Broadstairs & St. Peters Town Council does. Your figures are also a bit bizarre. No political party in this country has a membership anything like 3 million now or ever.
DeleteMy entry above but clicked the wrong box.
DeleteCllr Epps the Tory party itself confirmed membership of 3M at its highest point. The current 100k (and under) is the lowest ever. Indeed many Tory party memberships have halved in recent years.
DeleteNo doubt as with you because you are simply indulging in childish - if inaccurate - pointscoring and nitpicking rather than doing anything.
I appreciate BTC is a minor council but what have you done? This is a golden opportunity for you to regale us with your efforts.
You refuse to deal with the TDC corruption points raised even as a Tory councillor.
Are simply incorrect on fracking and its threat to Kent - you'd agree it causes contamination and tremors through the explosives used? - nor have policies of your own. The windfarm has delivered little and solar power is something of an East Kent achievement ignored by you.
Insulting Cllr Driver isn't a policy and does you no credit.
Over to you to speak up on BTC (and where is its FOI costs etc?).
"Many Tory party memberships have halved." Just how many Tory parties are there, Anon 21:47? As for regaling you with my achievements, dream on. Trumpet blowing is something I leave to the bandwagon and megaphone brigade whilst I quietly get on with dealing with matters raised by people in my ward. That does not include you.
DeleteAnon 21:47, your political party membership figures are disingenuous to say the least. One has to go back over half a century to the early 1950s to find the two major parties claiming membership in the millions. A steady disillusionment with politicians in general has seen memberships dwindle alarming and it is a trend that seems to be continuing. Let us look at the Conservative party, as you mentioned them, and we will find that a membership of 258,000 in 2005 when David Cameron became leader has now dropped to around 100,000. However, all three parties have seen a 65% loss of members in recent years so it is not unique to the Tories. Conservatives, Labour and Lib/Dems all struggle to maintain existing memberships and attract new ones.
DeleteIan. Some while ago you brutally and publicly attacked a new business which had started up in Margate. My understanding is that you were criticised for that. Were you told to apologise and have you done so yet? Your attack on Laura was totally unnecessary and cowardly and you will have done yourself no favours by acting in that way. You should restrict your criticism to the major TDC issues such as the £3.4M plus ferry debacle, the Royal Sands non development and the Royal Victoria Pavilion scandal etc etc etc. The list is endless. These are the issues that we are disgusted about. May I suggest that you get yourself a political adviser.
ReplyDeleteIan, you have made it very clear what the Green Party oppose, but, of interest to all of us, is what do you propose to solve the UK's mounting fuel crisis. Please spare us the renewable sources blanket answer for, as we all know, the energy so produced is very expensive and well short of the total national requirement. Renewables can be part of picture, but how would you see us make up the rest since the Green Party seem to be opposed to drilling (or fracking) as well as nuclear and coal fired?
ReplyDeleteCllr Driver, you seem very good at asking questions or for information from others, but not so hot yourself when it comes to answering. In consequence I ask you again, what is the Green party's solution to our longer term national energy needs? Surely you are not also as fracking clueless as you accuse others?
ReplyDeleteWilliam, I think Ian has taken flight. Again. Shame on him for his attack on Laura Sandys. In his favour there are some causes where he is right. Just a pity he does not appear to know to chose his fights more carefully.
ReplyDeletePaul, whilst you may be right and some of the causes Ian sets out on need highlighting, one always gets the feeling it is more about promoting him than the cause. Every few days he comes up within something new, but seldom sticks around long enough to answer public questions. Sometimes he even tells us things we already new just to get his name in lights.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, spellcheck never picked up that missing 'k' on knew.
ReplyDeleteThe energy needs of UK are, of course, important. Meriting considered language
ReplyDeleteBut so are the defence and anti-terrorism needs of UK important.
terrorist suspects with Uzis
A company (Transglobal) was founded 1997 and commissioned to provide the training with Uzis at the Welsh site.
The man named had previously been with International Bodyguards Assn (A commercial operation founded without Crown Authority at Deal Barracks between 1976 and 82 and only first registered at companies house in 1997)
Of course it is IBA for which there was information about use of Kent Ranges.
Given the seriousness of the issues it ill befits Cllr Moores to attempt to lead a chorus of derision on the subject of Thanet Gun ranges. One range featuring witnesses who saw Middle Easterners squad drilling and in possession of Uzis.
On the subject of not answering questions. Given the above relevance of bodyguard training enterprises shouldn't Cllr Moores clarify from whom he received his training as an Emergency Medical tech ? His CV implies this was from NHS. is that true ? was he trained by Roberts Bros who sort of trained the bodyguard and security industry in first aid.
Given the above relevance of Thanet Gun Ranges shouldn't Cllr Moores clarify which ranges he used to pursue his hobby of shooting ?
And given the relevance of Royal Marines facility use and bogus Royal Marine units like "Combat Training team Royal Marines" and "Royal Marines Reserve TA". Shouldn't Cllr Moores clarify his own Royal Marines service and when and where he qualified for a green beret ?
If there is to be outrage about intemperate language please don't let hypocrisy board your outrage bus.
More of your rubbish, Rick, so please gives us a break. This was an interesting exchange until you butted in with all your nonsense.
DeleteSorry I have been at the Broadstairs folk festival for a few days and intend to be there for a few days longer but I promise that I will post on alternatives to fracking. The Green Party will be organising a public in Thanet fairly soon to discuss fracking I will everyone posted once date, location and speakers have been sorted out
ReplyDeleteApology accepted, Ian, and pleased to see you are making the most of Folk Week. I look forward to your revelations on Green party energy policy for it is an area where I feel we have serious problems as a nation. Many people I know on fixed incomes are already in fuel poverty, even in leafy Broadstairs, and the prospect of even more expensive fuel, as seems to be the case with renewable sources, is frightening.
Deletetest
DeleteSadly Driver once again attacks a target that will not be able to reply in such terms. It seems Driver is determined to try to keep his name in the media by any means necessary, including treading on women and disabled children.
ReplyDeleteDriver really is a disgrace. Though it is entertaining that as he has only recently joined his 4th political grouping in a year, he has no clue whatsoever what it is he is supposed to say when asked questions. He's not to bust to attack women via blogs, but to is busy to answer questions when challenged.
He really doesn't change!