ANTI-FRACKING activists are picketing an industry conference in Edinburgh today in a bid to steer Scottish ministers away from the “risky” practice.

The capital’s Carlton Hotel will host a summit of shale-gas spivs and speculators hoping to latch on to “emerging and undiscovered potential shale gas markets” — not least suspected deposits under the Scottish countryside.

While no ministers are listed as speakers, it is understood that civil servants are set to attend.