Return to Kirby Misperton

Feeling a bit nostalgic today as I headed back to Kirby Misperton for the first time since beginning the 120 mile No Fracking Way trek there in March. Going along the same roads we walked when we began the walk and when I was quietly wondering what I'd let myself in for.

Today was a positive day. Green Party Co-Leader Jonathan Bartley was doing a visit to the Fracking site to lend his support the dedicated band of anti fracking Protectors (not just Protestors). What was very apparent was the excessive police presence on site. They lined up outside the gated entrance to the Fracking site and we lined up alongside them for a photocall with Jonathan. On a whim I suggested a Mexican Wave and said once the wave had got to the end of the protectors then the Police might want to join in once it reached them. We tried it a couple of times but they weren't playing and stubbonly stood there with their arms folded. "Boo! You're no fun!" To be fair I guess they were just trying to be 'professional' but they could have lightened up a bit.

Despite the lack of Mexican Wave participation today was not a day when relations between the Police and protestors were at a particularly low point. We've seen some real lows at the Preston New Road fracking site near Blackpool and also with the first arrests at Kirby Misperton. Some of the policing has been videoed and has been, lets say, 'heavy handed' and definitely out of proportion to, what have been predominantly peaceful protests. This Policing has to be expensive and is being bankrolled by central government in these times of limited public funding. I asked one of the Police what he would be doing if he wasn't here today and he told me he would be dealing with day to day issues such as domestic violence, attending burgalry scenes etc.

The Scottish Government  successfully voted to ban Fracking today further demonstrating that the United Kingdom is far from united on yet another issue. This further fuels my, admittedly unrealistic, fantasy of Yorkshire becoming annexed to an Independent Scotland free of dominance by largely southern based, public school educated Tories. We are having to fight our London based Government here while the Scottish people are supported in their opposition to Fracking by their Government. Just doesn't feel right.

There is real opposition to Fracking from people across the political spectrum. The Conservative Government is out of touch even with its own electoral base on this issue. A large number of the people there today were retired and some had definitely not been active campaigners before. Fracking is producing a new form of useful productive energy, but it is not what was intended. It is people power and it will grow.