David Cameron blasts anti-fracking protesters for halting Britain’s fracking revolution
Speaking to oil execs in the US, the former PM called the campaigners 'absolutely obsessed' and said he worries Britain will become dependent on Russian gas
EX-PM DAVID CAMERON last night blasted green groups for the “painfully slow” fracking revolution in Britain.
Speaking in the US to oil execs, he hit out at campaigners for being “absolutely obsessed” with blocking the extraction of fossil fuels.
He compared the tens of thousands of shale gas wells drilled in the US with around 10 in Europe, which he said was pathetic.
And he said the “painfully slow and incredibly frustrating” progress would only increase the dependence on Russian gas.
Mr Cameron said: “We are going to fall behind if we don’t extract the gas that we have that can make us more competitive, more energy-independent, less reliant on Russian gas.
“The green movements have become absolutely obsessed with the notion that any new form of energy that has any reliance on carbon is a bad thing, so they are just opposed to fracking, come what may.”
But the former PM said he believed the UK would eventually extract the billions of cubic metres of gas estimated to be trapped below ground in shale.
“Yes, we will do it because there is so much in our national interest, it just may take some time,” he said.