The Ecologist: DECC won't back Cameron's fracking price promise

In a week which has seen the UK Government shift the fracking argument away from price benefits (always an erroneous case) the pro fracking lobby is now scrambling around to find and play up to the public the wider economic benefits shale gas development could bring to Britain. Alex Stevenson reports....

David Cameron faces increasing isolation within his own government over fracking after it emerged the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is avoiding backing his claim that gas prices will fall as a result of shale gas development.

Internal DECC memos - seen by the Ecologist - reveal unwillingness within the department to reinforce the Prime Minister's appeal to energy consumers to tolerate fracking in return for the possibility of lower gas prices.

The move is being viewed as a significant retreat from a key argument in favour of fracking which is already battling significant opposition from environmentalists and local campaigners across Britain.  MORE