:http://www.ukprogressive.co.uk/editorial-why-is-wales-still-not-safe-from-fracking/article15577.html

Amongst the excellent analysis in the editorial, Denis picks up on the fact that the First Minister and Bridgend AM, Carwyn Jones, along with Bridgend CBC, have been very slow on the uptake on this whole issue. He paraphrases me very well when comparing the impact of campaigning in Bridgend with the impact in the Vale:

“Ironically in the next town over, the constituency of the 1st Minister for Wales, Andy Chyba of the Green Party said, protests are largely ignored, test wells are drilled and the anti-fracking argument gets seemingly nowhere. ”
Denis’ concluding comments are an excellent summation of where we are in the campaign:

“So one-by-one plucky voters gather enough information to realise the lies of Big Oil, complicity of many government officials and lobbyists, Environment Agencies in over their heads and rely on well-meaning civil servants who do not have the answers and simply fill out forms, cover their tails and pass the hot potato decision on to the next desk.

That is no longer good enough on this issue.

The Vale took three courageous actions:

they asked for lots of information from experts,

rejected the test bore application and

asked the Welsh Government to join them in kicking the can to Westminster and declaring a moratorium on fracking until more can be learned.

1st Minister [Carwyn Jones] is learning an informed electorate is a dangerous one. And a group committed to ensuring his colleagues also know all, causes him enormous problems.”

He cannot say he hasn’t been warned!

Louise Evans (centre) and Andy Chyba (left) lobbying in the Welsh Assembly building.

(Photo: Courtesy of Denis Campbell)