The Conservatives have committed in their election manifesto to keeping the moratorium on fracking in England.

The moratorium, introduced in November 2019, was lifted briefly by Liz Truss in September 2022. A chaotic vote on fracking was blamed for the collapse of her administration. The moratorium was reinstated by her replacement, Rishi Sunak, 49 days later.

The 2024 Conservative manifesto, published on June 11, has one eight-word sentence on fracking on page 50:

“We will retain the current moratorium on fracking”.

Rishi Sunak had previously said he backed fracking if there was local support.

The manifesto has no other reference to the UK onshore oil and gas industry.

On the offshore industry, it promised:

• Annual licensing rounds for oil and gas production from the North Sea
• Maintained investment allowances
• Backing for the North Sea Transition Deal

The Conservatives also promised to build new gas fired power stations.

They continue to commit to reaching net zero by 2050. The manifesto promised to keep international climate funding commitments but it said the transition to net zero had to be “pragmatic” and there would be no new green levies or charges.

Labour

Labour’s manifesto launch is due tomorrow (Thursday 13 June).

It is expected to include commitments to set up GB Energy, a state-owned company, which would invest in renewable energy projects. Other likely commitments are to decarbonise the electricity grid and end sales of petrol and diesel-powered cars by 2030.

But an earlier pledge to spend £28 billion a year on green projects is now unlikely.

Link to DrillOrDrop review of Labour manifesto

Liberal Democrats

As expected, the Liberal Democrats continued their policy on keeping the fracking moratorium.

The party’s manifesto, launched on 10 June, promised to maintain “the ban on fracking” and introduce a ban on new coal mines.

This was part of the Liberal Democrats’ promise to “accelerate the deployment of renewable power and delivery energy security”.

The party also promised to:

• Implement “a proper, one-off windfall tax on super-profits of oil and gas producers and traders”
• Implement the UK’s G7 pledge to end fossil fuel subsidies
• Ensure a just transition for people working in the oil and gas industry
• Invest in energy storage, including green hydrogen
• Decouple electricity prices from the wholesale gas price
• Reach net zero by 2045, five years earlier than the Conservatives and Labour
• A new net zero delivery authority to coordinate climate action

Greens

The Green Party manifesto, published on 12 June, did not mention shale gas or fracking.

It committed to:

• No new oil and gas licences
• End of all subsidies to the oil and gas industries
• Pushing the next government to stop all new UK fossil fuel extraction projects
• Cancel recently issued fossil fuel licences
• Introduce a carbon tax on all fossil fuels, whether produced in the UK or imported, starting at £120/tonne emitted
• Raise the carbon tax rate progressively over a decade to £500/tonne
• Support an increase in the rate of the windfall tax on oil and gas production and closing existing loopholes and tax relief mechanisms
• Produce 70% of UK electricity from wind by 2030

Reform UK

The full version of the Reform UK “contract with the people” is expected on 17 June. But the party has already published a 32-page version.

This committed the party in the first 100 days to:

• Grant shale gas licences on test sites for two years.
• Enable major production of shale gas “when safety is proven”
• Introduce local compensation schemes

The party also promised to “start fast-track licences of North Sea gas and oil”.

Other parties

Plaid Cymru is expected to launch its manifesto on 13 June. Link to DrillOrDrop review of Plaid Cymru’s manifesto.

We will also report on the SNP manifesto when it is published.

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