Nearly a third (31%) of all British voters say they would be less likely to vote for candidates who back fracking in their own constituencies, compared to just 13% who say they would be more likely to do so, according to a nationwide ComRes poll published today.
One in ten Conservative (10%) and one in five Labour voters (20%) say they would be much less likely to support a candidate who backs fracking in their area, the survey commissioned by Greenpeace UK also shows.
A fracking swing could have a significant impact on the outcome of one of the most uncertain elections in living memory. At least 35 of the seats targeted by the Tory 40:40 election strategy are in areas licensed for fracking, as are 11 Labour and eight Lib Dem held constituencies with a swing of 2% or less.
The findings are released as more than 200 Lib Dem and Labour candidates have rushed to sign a new pledge against fracking, openly defying official party lines.
The Frack Free Promise, an online platform launched by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, has already seen 780 candidates pledge to oppose fracking in their constituencies or help block it across Britain if their areas have not been licensed.
Click here to see which candidates have made the Frack Free Promise
At last check, 402 Green Party, 104 Lib Dem, 100 Labour, 23 Plaid Cymru, 7 SNP, and 7 Ukip candidates had taken the pledge. No Tory election hopefuls have signed up so far.
Conservatives, Lib Dems, and Ukip are all in favour of fracking, whilst Labour have made their support conditional on tougher regulations being introduced. The SNP have brought in an indefinite fracking ban in Scotland, and the Welsh Assembly has voted to introduce a similar moratorium in Wales after Plaid Cymru forced a vote on the issue. The Greens are outrightly opposed to fracking.
Launching the Frack Free Promise, Greenpeace UK climate and energy campaigner Sam Pearse said:
“Candidates from across the political spectrum have started feeling the heat over fracking, and our survey shows why. Fracking is proving such a huge turn-off for voters that backing this industry would be nothing less than political suicide for many candidates in key marginal seats.
“For once our politicians can do something that is in their interests, as well as the interests of their constituents, their country and the planet. They can ditch a fracking industry that will deliver too little too late, if anything at all, whilst leaving us more dependent on dangerous fossil fuels, and back instead the clean energy sources that hold the promise of cheaper bills and safe energy.”
Friends of the Earth fracking campaigner Donna Hume said:
“The scale of support for our Frack Free Promise will leave parliamentary candidates in little doubt as to the political toxicity of fracking. It’s clearer than ever that backing fracking will spell electoral disaster for prospective MPs on May 7.
“The scale of the planetary crisis is such that decisions made in the next Parliament will make or break our chances of preventing dangerous climate change. Whoever is elected must consign fracking and the reckless dash for shale gas to the dustbin of history.”
The ComRes survey commissioned by Greenpeace UK suggests that candidates who back fracking could be facing a serious backlash at the ballot box in May. Potential Lib Dem voters are the most hostile to pro-fracking candidates with 41% saying they would be less likely to vote for them against only 15% who say they would be more likely. They are followed by Labour voters (34% against 13%), Ukip (26% against 16%) and Conservatives (22% against 17%).
Despite their parties’ enthusiastic support for fracking, only 7% of Conservative and Ukip voters say they would be much more likely to vote for a candidates backing fracking in their own constituency. Overall, 44% of respondents said that their candidate’s position on fracking won’t influence their voting intention.
ENDS
Survey methodology
ComRes interviewed 2,035 British adults online between 20th and 22nd March 2015. Data were weighted to be representative of all GB adults aged 18+. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
Contact
Stefano Gelmini, Greenpeace UK press office, t 020 7865 8255 m 07506 512442
Notes
[1] The Com Res survey also shows 42% of British people support fracking for natural gas, whilst 35% oppose it. But a similar YouGov poll for the Sunday Times from January put support for shale gas at 35% and opposition at 41. February’s DECC attitudes survey found only 24% of the UK public support shale gas extraction.
