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Environmentalists turn PM's home into fracking site

ACTIVISTS turned David Cameron’s cottage into a fracking site yesterday as the Prime Minister ripped up trespass laws to open the way for an explosion of shale gas drilling.

Greenpeace campaigners in high-vis vests and hard hats erected security fences around the “site” — Mr Cameron’s constituency home in Dean, Oxfordshire.

“David Cameron wants to rob people of their right to stop fracking firms drilling under their homes — surely he won’t mind if we kick off the under-house fracking revolution below his own garden,” said campaigner Simon Clydesdale.

A large sign was hung up saying: “We apologise for any inconvenience we may cause while we frack under your home.”

The Infrastructure Bill unveiled in yesterday’s Queen’s Speech will allow energy companies to drill under private property without the owners’ permission — something opposed by around 70 per cent of the population, according to polls.

Activists tried to deliver an oversized cheque for £50, the maximum compensation ministers are willing to pay for the unwanted drilling.

Mr Clydesdale added: “The Prime Minister is robbing millions of their right to say no to fracking under their homes for the benefit of a few energy companies.

“He should stop chasing this shale pipe-dream to focus on the real-world solutions that can boost our energy and climate security, like slashing energy waste and backing clean technologies.”

Meanwhile Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie urged Holyrood to take a stand against the mooted Bill.

“The coalition government is turning a blind eye to the risks to our economy, not just our environment, of encouraging yet more fossil fuel extraction,” said the MSP.

“Given (the Scottish government’s) failure to support a ban on fracking or clear buffer zones, and the First Minister’s description of shale gas as an opportunity, many communities across Scotland will be deeply concerned at this latest threat.”

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