Fracking protesters have held a demonstration outside a business conference for the shale gas industry.
Around 30 protesters turned up outside the Radisson Blu hotel at Manchester Airport, watched from a distance by as many police officers.
Inside the hotel the European Shale Gas and Oil Summit was taking place, bringing together Government officials and technical experts to discuss strategy, “with the hope of guiding the shale gas sector towards a safe, environmentally friendly and prosperous future” according to adverts for the event.
Proponents say fracking will bring jobs and prosperity while opponents say the costs to the environment will be too high a price to pay.
Activists from Frack Free Greater Manchester, Manchester Friends of the Earth and Manchester Greenpeace called for the demonstration, days after the Secretary of State for Communities, Sajid Javid, gave the go-ahead for Cuadrilla’s application to hydraulically fracture wells in Lancashire, overturning the local council’s decision and much local opposition.
At today’s protest, Jenny Ross, of Frack Free Greater Manchester, said: “If central government set a precedent that any local decision they don’t like they can simply overturn, then where will that end? Government is supposed to amplify the voices of local people, not ignore them.
“For the Government to disenfranchise the people of Lancashire by pretending this decision is of national importance is a meritless pretence.
“The reality is, the day after our Government ratified the Paris agreement they forced fracking on an unwilling public breaking their own pledges on localism and climate change within the space of 24 hours.”
Ms Ross claimed applications to drill for shale gas across the UK have been heavily opposed, with responses to local authorities about fracking plans weighing in at around 99% opposed.
And she said opposition to fracking will grow as Cuadrilla begin their operations in Lancashire in the spring, subject to a legal challenge by protesters.
Martin Porter of the Manchester Greenpeace Network added: “David Cameron said fracking must start by end of 2014 but there’s still no gas coming out of the ground. Every community threatened by shale gas has revolted, and Lancashire is no exception.”