As much as Jolyon Maugham might want to present himself as a crusading outsider, The Good Law Project clearly has connections right to the top of politics. One of Jolyon’s latest anti-growth japes, against the government over exploratory gas drilling in the Surrey Hills, has received the backing of one of the most powerful men in the very same government. One Jeremy Hunt.

Hunt issued a statement on his constituency website, leading with the headline “Jeremy Supports Dunsfold Drilling Challenge”, it goes on to quote Jolyon himself, before linking to the Good Law Project’s fundraiser. It even endorses the wider work of the Good Law Project, saying Maugham’s organisation “uses the law for a better world”. Ironically siding with NIMBYs days after they blocked him from building a wine cellar in his garden…

Never one to miss an opportunity to claim victory, Jolyon took to Twitter to celebrate clubbing together with Jeremy.

Always nice to have the Chancellor of the Exchequer supporting your crowdfunder. pic.twitter.com/YZJbuBuChn

— Jo Maugham (@JolyonMaugham) February 21, 2023

The endorsement shouldn’t come as a surprise. Jolyon is partial to the odd hunt…

Rishi tried skating over Caroline Lucas’ question on whether he’ll scrap Liz Truss’s fracking plans, though promised that he sticks to the 2019 manifesto, which was far more fracking-sceptic than Liz’s government. Rishi’s subsequent answer on the government’s environmental promises even received a brief round of applause from eco-zealot Caroline. A very surprise endorsement…

UPDATE: No10 confirm the fracking ban is back…

Amongst the rest of the Tory dumpster fire currently burning away in Whitehall, two Conservative MPs have tweeted their intention to vote against the government on tonight’s high-stakes confidence motion. Former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore tweets, “As the former Energy Minister who signed Net Zero into law, for the sake of our environment and climate, I cannot personally vote tonight to support fracking and undermine the pledges I made at the 2019 General Election. I am prepared to face the consequences of my decision.”

Tracey Crouch joins him, tweeting “Ditto“.

Ditto. https://t.co/qbBlpMqzdj

— Tracey Crouch (@tracey_crouch) October 19, 2022

Angela Richardson does likewise:

This all feels like the crescendo before a major political finale…

As co-conspirators will be aware, Labour have tabled an opposition day motion to ban fracking. This cunning plan highlights many contradictions in their position. Labour’s plans would end UK gas production and lock the country into reliance on international sources. Way more carbon intensive than producing gas here…

Labour will also find that regulatory standards can’t be controlled in the same way they can domestically. They could well be funding Qatari coffers for gas, whilst boycotting their World Cup on human rights grounds. Quite the own goal.

Labour’s position on fracking has evolved since the days when Ed Miliband recognised the advantages of fracked gas. As the now-Shadow Climate Secretary once said, “Of course, there could be a role for it if it can meet the safety concerns and the needs of local residents.”

Sounds a lot like Conservative government policy…

Charles MacAllister, Director at UK Onshore Oil and Gas adds:

“The nakedly hypocritical anti-fracking position from Labour is ignorant of reality and of our recognised need for natural gas for decades… Our question to the Labour party remains unanswered; what is their alternative gas supply plan in the absence of increases in domestic natural gas production?”

It’s no surprise that Labour is unable to identify the source of their hot air…

As the government plans to lift the ban on fracking, Labour was quick to issue a press release condemning their action in quite vociferous terms. Guido is happy to cut through the bluster and rhetoric of each claim in Miliband’s statement, so you don’t have to:

• “We now have an energy policy run for big fossil fuel interests not for the British people. No to the windfall tax and yes to dangerous, unsafe fracking.”

FALSE: This statement is unsubstantiated and untrue. Fracking is in the best interests of the British people because it will create up to 64,500 jobs and up to £80 billion in tax revenue and reduce reliance on foreign imported energy. It is also safe, especially under the conditions of the existing regulatory framework. The government, of course, has already imposed a £5 billion windfall tax on energy companies. Guido isn’t quite sure how siphoning off profits from “big fossil fuel” companies is in their interests…

• “Fracking is a dangerous fantasy”

FALSE: Fracking is neither dangerous, nor a fantasy. Over the last 40 years over 200 wells have been hydraulically fractured in the UK. It is also used in the United States, where it contributes 0.2% of GDP secures their energy needs and helped make them an energy exporter for the first time in decades.

•  “it would do nothing to cut energy bills”

FALSE: Although the effect of UK fracking could be marginal, providing more energy supply would obviously lower costs. This has been evidenced in the United States, where fracking has helped secure energy security.

• “it costs far more than renewables”

FALSE: A 2018 paper estimated the lifetime costs of various sources of UK energy. At both low and average power plant costs, the life cycle costs of fracking (2.1 and 9.6 pence/KWh) are cheaper than hydro (14.4 pence/KWh), solar (16.9 pence/KWh) and both onshore (12.6 pence/KWh) and offshore wind (10.1 pence/KWh).

• “it is deeply unpopular with the public.”

FALSE: Although evidence is mixed, polling has previously shown significant support for fracking. It is certainly unfair to call it “deeply unpopular”.

Miliband finished by claiming:

“The Conservatives have broken yet another manifesto promise, this time on banning fracking. Now Conservative MPs must explain to their own constituents why they will have to suffer the danger of fracking in their own back yard.”

Clearly Ed has discovered his inner NIMBY. He also conveniently fails to mention the manifesto provision for fracking to be resumed should it be found safe, as the government is investigating. Disappointing, even by Labour’s standards…

Already Labour MPs are up in arms over Jacob Rees-Mogg’s claim just now that some of the opposition to fracking has been funded by the Kremlin. According to Ed Miliband, it’s an “absolutely outrageous slur” that’s “shameful and disgraceful“. Opposition backbenchers could barely believe their ears either. If it’s so shameful and disgraceful, perhaps they should direct their outrage at Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the respected former chief of NATO…

Here’s what Rasmussen said as far back as 2014 when the former Prime Minister of Denmark was NATO secretary-general:

“I have met allies who can report that Russia, as part of their sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called non-governmental organisations – environmental organisations working against shale gas – to maintain European dependence on imported Russian gas.”

Inevitably Rees-Mogg’s comments will fill plenty of column inches in the very same newspaper over the next few days. Presumably they’ll be just as furious with Rasmussen…