We look at results from constituencies with a special interest in fracking or oil and gas exploration. We also review what happened to MPs who voted in parliament for a fracking moratorium earlier this year.
Arundel and South Downs The Conservative, Nick Herbert, held this safe seat with an increased share of the vote and a majority of 26,177. He opposed plans by Celtique Energie to explore for oil at Wisborough Green and Fernhurst. The Green candidate, Isabel Thurston, kept her deposit and took 3,606 votes, only 456 behind the Lib Dems.
Beverley and Holderness The Conservatives held the seat, which includes Rathlin Energy’s wells at West Newton and Crawberry Hill. The incumbent, Graham Stuart, had a 1% increased share of the vote and a majority of more than 12,000 over the Labour candidate. The Green Party candidate, Richard Howarth, who has campaigned against fracking, took 1,802 vote and increased the Greens’ share to 3.4% but lost his deposit.
Brighton Pavilion the Green candidate, Caroline Lucas, an active anti-fracking campaigner, increased her share of the vote by 10.5% to 41.8% and a majority of 7,967.
Bristol West The Green candidate, Darren Hall, failed against predictions to take the seat from Labour. He polled 17,227 (26.8% share) but still more than 5,000 behind Labour. The Greens described their increase in the vote of 23% as the biggest swing in the constituency’s history.
City of Chester The Labour candidate,Chris Matheson, took the seat from the Conservatives with a majority of just 93 votes. Mr Matheson, the only candidate in the constituency to sign the Greenpeace/Friends of the Earth frack-free pledge, increased Labour’s share of the vote by 8.2%.and overturned a Conservative majority of 2,583 gained by Stephen Mosley in 2010. Last year, there were protests at drilling sites at Upton, Farndon, and Ellesmere Port and outside the headquarters of Cheshire West and Chester, Control of the council also changed from Conservative to Labour.
Chichester Andrew Tyrie, who formally objected to Celtique Energie’s plans for drilling at Fernhurst, held his seat for the Conservatives with a 24,413 majority and an increased share of the vote. The Green Party’s Jasper Richmond, polled 3,742, held his deposit and increased the party’s share by 6.5%.
Don Valley Labour’s Caroline Flint increased her share of the vote by 8.2% to retain the seat. The Conservative candidate saw his share fall by 4.4% but UKIP was a 19.1% increase. Lorries to IGas’s proposed fracking site at Misson in north Nottinghamshire were expected to come through the constituency if the plans were approved.
East Surrey The constituency includes the Horse Hill exploratory drilling site, which one of the investors, UK Oil and Gas, said contains enormous quantities of oil. The Conservatives held the seat with a majority of 22, 658. The Greens increased their share of the vote by 3.8% but still lost their deposit.
Ellesmere Port and Neston The constituency includes an IGas exploratory drilling site. The pro-fracking MP, Andrew Miller, left parliament at the election. His replacement, Justin Madders, held the seat with a 6,275 majority and a 3.1% increase in the share of the vote labour hold, profrackng mp left parliament
Fylde Mike Hill, campaigning for greater regulation of fracking, came third with more than 5,000 votes and a share of 11.9%. He pushed Lib Dems into fifth place in the constituency where Cuadrilla wants to frack for gas at Preston New Road and Roseacre. The seat was a Conservative hold but the incumbent, Mark Menzies, who voted in January for a moratorium on fracking, saw his share of the vote fall by 3.1% of the vote to 49.1%
Horsham The Conservatives increased their share of the vote in Horsham, which includes the West Sussex village of Balcombe where Cuadrilla has an exploratory drilling site. The Conservatives were up 4.6% to 57.3%. The Greens polled over 2,198 (3.9% share) but lost their deposit.
Lancaster and Fleetwood The Conservative fracking sceptic, Eric Ollerenshaw, lost his seat to Labour. He increased his share of the vote by 3.2% but failed to hold on to his slim majority at the last election. Labour had a majority of 1,265. Mr Ollerenshaw voted against the government during debates on the Infrastructure Act and voted for a moratorium in January.
Lewes The Lib Dem opponent of fracking, Norman Baker, who sponsored a Commons debate on fracking earlier this year, lost his seat to the Conservatives. The Green and Labour candidates saw their party share increase 4.1% and 4.9%.
Mid-Sussex the pro-fracking incumbent, Nicholas Soames, increased his share of the vote (up 5.4% to 56.1%). During the campaign, he said fracking was “silly in Sussex” but should be tried in Lancashire where “it would not trouble people”. The Independent, Beki Adam, standing on an anti-fracking ticket, took 958 votes, or 1.7% of the vote and lost her deposit.
Mole Valley The constituency includes Europa’s proposed oil exploration well at Bury Hill Wood, near Dorking, which was the subject of a second public inquiry in the fortnight before the election. The incumbent, Paul Beresford, held the seat with a 60.6% share of the vote and a 25,453 majority. The Green Party candidate, Jacquetta Fewster, increased the share of the vote by 3.8% and held her deposit.
Salford Bez, the anti-fracking campaigner and founder of the Reality Party, lost his deposit. He polled 703 votes or 1.6% of the vote. Labour, which held the site, increased its share of the vote by 9.3% to 49.4%. The constituency includes the IGas exploration site at Barton Moss.
Shropshire North Owen Paterson, the pro-fracking Conservative held his seat with a 16,494 majority and no change in the share of the vote. The constituency includes Dudleston, where Dart Energy is appealing against a non-determination of its application for coalbed methane exploration. A local community group has secured a public inquiry but Dart wants the application decided by exchange of documents
Tatton George Osbourne’s constituency, the anti-fracking candidate, Tina Rothery, finished last but took 1,714 votes with a share of 3.8%, losing her deposit. George Osborne increased his share by 4% to 58.6%.
Thanet South Ian Driver, the Green Party candidate who spoke against fracking at a debate at Canterbury Christ Church University last year, lost his deposit after taking 1,076 votes. The seat went to the Conservative Craig Mackinlay, who saw his share of the vote fall by 9.9% but still beat the UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, into second place by more than 2,500 votes.
Thirsk and Malton The Conservatives held the seat, which includes Ryedale where Third Energy has announced plans to frack. The former MP, Anne McIntosh, was deselected before the election. Her replacement, Kevin Holinrake, took 52.6% of the vote, slightly down on 2010. UKIP and the Greens increased their shares but the Lib Dem share fell by 14.3%.
Wells The fracking opponent, Lib Dem Tessa Munt, lost her seat at Wells to the Conservatives. She voted for a fracking moratorium and resigned her junior government post over the issue. The Conservative, James Heappey, had a 46.1% share of the vote.
Wirral West There are plans for underground coal gasification in this constituency, bordering the Dee Estuary. The incumbent Conservative MP and employment minister, Esther McVey, narrowly lost her the seat to Labour’s Margaret Greenwood. Miss Greenwood increased Labour’s share of the vote by 8.9% and secured a majority of 417.
Please let us know if we’ve missed news from an important constituency
Results for MPs who voted in January for a fracking moratorium and stood in the 2015 election
Held seat with increased share of the vote
Ronnie Campbell, Lab, Blythe Valley
Rosie Cooper, Lab, West Lancashire
Jeremy Corbyn, Lab, Islington North
Tracey Crouch, Con, Chatham and Aylesford
Mark Durkan, SDLP, Foyle
Jonathan Edwards, Plaid Cymru, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Roger Godsiff, Lab, Birmingham, Hall Green
Zac Goldsmith, Con, Richmond Park
Stewart Hosie, SNP, Dundee East
Helen Jones, Lab, Warrington North
David Lammy, Lab, Tottenham
Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton Pavilion
Jason McCartney, Con, Colne Valley
John McDonnell, Lab, Hayes and Harlington
Ian Mearns, Lab, Gateshead
Graham Morris, Lab, Easington
Angus Brendan MacNeil, SNP, Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Andrew Percy, Con, Brigg and Goole
Angus Robertson, SNP, Moray
Dennis Skinner, Lab, Bolsover
Mike Weir, SNP, Angus
Eilidh Whiteford, SNP, Banff and Buchan
Alan Whitehead, Lab, Southampton Test
Held seat, no change in share of the vote
Paul Flynn, Lab, Newport West
Held seat with reduced share of the vote
Tim Farron, Lib Dem, Westmorland and Lonsdale
Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru, Dwyfor Meirionnydd
John Mann, Lab, Bassetlaw
Martk Menzies, Con, Fylde
Greg Mulholland, Lib Dem, Leeds North West
Margaret Ritchie, SDLP, South Down
Mark Williams, Lib Dem, Ceredigion
Lost seat
Norman Baker, Lib Dem, Lewes, lost to Conservatives
Katy Clark, Lab, North Ayrshire and Arran, lost to SNP
Ian Davidson, Lab Coop, Glasgow South West, lost to SNP
George Galloway, Respect, Bradford West, lost to Labour
Duncan Hames, Lib Dem, Chippenham, lost to Conservatives
Martin Horwood, Lib Dem, Cheltenham, lost to Conservatives
Mark Hunter, Lib Dem, Cheadle, lost to Conservatives
Julian Huppert, Lib Dem, Cambridge, lost to Labour
Mark Lazarowicz, Lab Coop, Edinburgh North and Leith, lost to SNP
John Leech, Lib Dem, Manchester Withington, lost to Labour
Stephen Lloyd, Lib Dem, Eastbourne, lost to Conservatives
Naomi Long, Alliance, Belfast East, lost to DUP
Tessa Munt, Lib Dem, Wells to Conservatives
Eric Ollerenshaw, Con, Lancaster and Fleetwood to Labour
Mike Thornton, Lib Dem, Eastleigh, lost to Conservatives
Roger Williams, Lib Dem, Brecon and Radnorshire, lost to Conservatives
Updates
10/5/15 to correct position of the Lib Dems in Fylde
11/5/15 to add the result from City of Chester
12/5/15 to add the result for Wirral West
23/5/15 to correct Green Party share of the vote – the candidate did not lose his deposit as stated.
25/5/15 to add the result from Don Valley
Categories: Opposition, Politics
DRILL OR DROP? 
“Fylde Mike Hill, campaigning on the single issue greater regulation of fracking, came fourth with just over 5,000 votes and a share of 11.9%. Lib Dems were in fourth place due to the national reaction against them. The constituency is where Cuadrilla wants to frack for gas at Preston New Road and Roseacre and with whom Mike Hill looked to get a potential deal for his company Gemini Control and Automation. The seat was a Conservative hold and the incumbent, Mark Menzies, who voted in January for a moratorium on fracking, saw his majority increase by 39 votes.”
Just another way of using the same facts to tell a different story.
Can I just add a little factual detail too Saddo –
“the incumbent Mark Menzies, who has so far failed to explain the allegations in the National Press of last year but who voted in January for a moratorium on fracking, saw his majority increase by 39 votes. At the time of the allegations being made he promised us that “a number of these allegations are not true and I look forward to setting the record straight in due course.” . We are still waiting over a year later, and after the dirty way that the election campaign was fought, and his abrasive and discourteous behaviour at the count, it is probably time people begin to hold him to that promise in public.”
Facts are awkward slippery things aren’t they? Especially when you are trying to suppress them
A very gentle comment from Saddo!! More to be said about M Hill who announced today he is withdrawing from the fracking debate on twitter – and then deleted his account
There is indeed much more to be said about the appalling way in which this election campaign was fought, including the smear campaign you were part of MadRev, which discredited you and your friends in the eyes of many voters in Lytham and St Annes who I spoke with. Maybe we should not have been surprised to see such a naked attack on democracy from somebody who can ask (and I quote) “Are not anti-fascist values worse than fascism?” on the anniversary of VE day. I really can’t work out if you a parody of a mad vicar or if you really exist. I am sort of hoping it may be the former
Overall Shale pro or anti didn’t seem to have any influence on voters in the general election. All Cons candidates with shale in there seat seems to hold their seat and their party fully support shale development with safe guards in place. Lib Democrats who didn’t support shale and make pledges in their campaign seems to lose seats and interestingly to the Cons whose party didn’t make pledges against shale. And it seems voters did not support the Green on this issue because they did not gain a seat. Can one say shale is a major vote killer as Greenpeace poll claimed? The results say probably not.
“All Cons candidates with shale in there seat seems to hold their seat” … NO they didn’t! See comment below about Cheshire West and Chester Council.
I think you’ll find that Mark Menzies voted for a moratorium on fracking Tommie. If that was a political lie it shows how toxic this is as a political issue. If he was being honest it refutes your point.
Interesting also is Eric Ollerenshaw is also staunchly against shale and voted against the Infrastructure Bill regarding shale also lost his seat. So like I said shale or no shale it didn’t seem to be a deciding factor in this election or the local council elections.
“didn’t seem to have any influence on voters in the general election” or “didn’t seem to be a deciding factor in this election or the local council elections.” Do make your mind up Tommie
Another important seat to mention is Ed Davey who is a strong supporter of wind and solar power and not too keen on shale also lost his seat to the Cons.
Tommie, your conclusion is far weaker then your assessment. Clearly shale had a strong influence in the election. The alleged drama claimed by protestors doesn’t exist. Not at all.
It was made all sensitive and controversial by the aggresive approach of some protestors. In truth for the majority of the population it never was. When people push their opinions with such force and aggression, the reaction is bound to be nervous and creates doubt. Still, all in all people have faith in government and institutions like BGS ans others. There is not one big conspiracy of the government againstnits citizens…
In a way this election provided the so called ‘social license’ for shale development. After all people could vote for greens or independents against shale. If people really thought shale would wreck the environment and their childrens fututes, as portrait by protesors, then they would have voted accordingly.
They did not. Mr Hill left the stage and the debate, and Tina and Bez can go back to where they came from. After even losing their deposits mind you!
On to their next protest; my gues is it will be ttip or something with human rights and anarchy. Good luck to them!
It is unfortunate they created so much mistrust and disunity. That is the true damage of shale. And it was caused by the leaders behind the protests. Shame on them.
That’s actually quite funny Shale For UK. Who do YOU work for then and why are you hiding behind anonymity?
The big story of the election is the Cheshire West and Chester result. Aside from bucking the trend and replacing a Tory MP with a Labour one in the parliamentary elections, the local elections also went against the national trend. ‘CWAC’ is the only council to move from Con to Labour in this election. Many locals believe this is in large part down to the promises made locally by both the Labour parliamentary candidate and the local Labour group to NOT support fracking in Chester. The people showed their feelings about unconventional gas, with their votes. Now the politicians need to honour their promises.
Thanks very much for these details. I’ll add this to the post in the morning. Best wishes, Ruth
Stephen Mosley lost his seat in Chester. The Upton Anti Fracking Camp was an issue. The Local council also went to Labour.
Im really sorry and hope this is not a stupid question but I keep hearing the mention of deposits, could somebody explain this to me please as I do not understand. Thank you.
Hi Pippa
Sorry – I should have made this clearer. Candidates pay a £500 deposit to stand in a general election. If they get 5% of the vote the deposit is returned. If not, they lose the money.
Let’s not forget Tina Rothery, one of the most vocal opponents in Blackpool who often went national,especially on RT. She lost her deposit against George Osborne in Tatton.
Nick – that’s a very restrained comment for you isn’t it? Isn’t this more your style https://frackingdangerous.wordpress.com/tag/nick-grealy/ ?
Actually Tina made her point well and with some style and decorum. You could learn an awful lot from her.