ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have renewed calls for the Scottish government to ban fracking in law after a policy position of “no support” was announced in Holyrood today.

The announcement by Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse follows years of heated debate after a 2017 “effective ban” was deemed a “gloss” by the government’s own lawyers and found in court to be legally meaningless.

Announcing the new position, Mr Wheelhouse said that the decision followed consideration of factors including the impact on the natural environment and health and wellbeing of communities, as well as there being overwhelming support for a ban among the Scottish public.