Liz Truss "crumbled under the pressure" of a local news interview on Thursday as she faced questions about fracking.
The Prime Minister was interviewed by a number of BBC local radio stations on Thursday (September 29) morning. Among those questioning Ms Truss was BBC Radio Lancashire's Graham Liver, who asked about fracking in the county.
A fresh row has emerged about fracking in Lancashire after a temporary ban, launched in 2019 following quakes and tremors caused at Lancashire’s shale gas wells in Preston New Road near Blackpool, was lifted by Liz Truss on September 22. The row could affect the forthcoming West Lancashire by-election, which LancsLive reports could "effectively become a referendum on fracking in Lancashire".
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In the BBC interview, Graham Liver asked the Prime Minister about the consent of local communities in Lancashire for fracking, which Ms Truss said was important if her government was to proceed with the idea. The host pointed out that Blackpool South's Tory MP Scott Benton said that he believes his constituents are against the idea and that Lancashire County Council has previously said that they do not want to see fracking in their region.
Asked what local consent for fracking would look like, Ms Truss said: "The Energy Secretary will be laying out in more detail exactly what that looks like but it does mean making sure there is local support for going ahead." Graham Liver interjected to say "It sounds like you don't know".
In response, Ms Truss said: “I can assure you and I can assure Mark Menzies (MP for Fylde). There are various detailed issues to be worked through but I can assure Mark Menzies that I can make sure there is local consent if we are to go ahead in any particular area with fracking."
Graham Liver then asked: " But your local MPs don’t want it - all Conservative - and in the past, the county council have said they didn’t want it, yet your government overturned it, the science hasn’t changed. Why can’t you tell us this morning there won’t be a return to fracking in Lancashire?"
Ms Truss then said she did not accept the premise of the question, adding: " Well, because, what I’ve said is that if there is local consent we will go ahead, we need to go ahead where there is local consent and where there isn’t and we’re still doing that work. I don’t think we should rule out the whole of Lancashire."
Mr Liver then proceeded to ask Ms Truss if she knew where the Preston New Road site was. When the Prime Minister said that she didn't think she had visited the site in the past, the host asked: "shouldn't you?"
After a pause, the Prime Minister then said: "Well, as I’ve said, we will only go ahead with projects where there is local consent - I’m very, very clear about that. Now, we will make sure that local consent is in place and if there is a concern about a particular site, those concerns will, of course, be looked at and taken into account."
Many people on social media criticised Ms Truss's answers and praised Mr Liver's interviewing. On Twitter, Labour peer Stewart Wood said: "Liz Truss getting taken apart by @GrahamLiver on @BBCLancashire about the return of fracking to Lancashire."
Robert Bohan said: "Liz Truss being utterly destroyed on the question of fracking in Lancashire. No wonder she went into hiding. Astonishingly bad interview. Dr Eleanor Dreager added: "Wow - @GrahamLiver on BBC Radio Lancashire was EXCELLENT this morning questioning Liz Truss - she just crumbled under the pressure".
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