Fracking tsar quits and blasts cowardly ministers who’ve given in to leftie eco-protesters
Natascha Engel accused the Government of 'pandering to myths and scare stories' by blocking shale gas fracking
THERESA May's fracking tsar has quit in protest at leftie eco-warriors blocking the shale gas revolution.
Natascha Engel walked out of her role after just six months - saying it's pointless because green protesters are holding up fracking.
She accused ministers of caving to the likes of Extinction Rebellion and "pandering to myths and scare stories".
Last year the ex-Labour MP was hired by ministers to promote the fracking industry, which sees gas extracted from shale formation using high-pressure water torrents.
But today she wrote to Business Secretary Greg Clark resigning and saying she was given an "impossible task".
Ms Engel blasted: "A perfectly viable and exciting new industry that could help meet our carbon reduction targets, make us energy secure and provide jobs in parts of the country that really need them is in danger of withering on the vine - not for any technical or safety reasons, but because of a political decision.
"We are listening to a small but loud environmental movement that opposes in principle all extraction of fossil fuels.
"The campaign against fracking has been highly successful in raising the profile and filling the coffers of some NGOs, but they do not represent local residents nor the wider population.
"I hope there will be a re-think sooner rather than later which will see policy guided by science, rather than fearmongering.
She complained about a legal regime which sees fracking halted in response to earth tremors which are too small for people to feel them.
Green activists are opposed to fracking because they say it destroys natural landscapes and contributes to global warming.
But Ms Engel claimed the process could save the country money and help bring down carbon emissions because shale gas is less polluting than oil.
The US has slashed its oil imports since fracking for gas became widespread in Texas over the past few years.
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