Sign the petition

Ban fracking – permanently.

Most people think fracking was banned in the UK years ago. It wasn't.

What we have is a pause: It isn't written into law, and could be overturned by a future government.

It also has a loophole that lets companies frack using smaller amounts of liquid. Right now, they're using it to try to frack in Yorkshire.

The government is about to write a new energy law, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised he will ban fracking for good. But ministers still won't say if it will close the loophole. If we speak up now, we can push them to get it right.

Sign the petition: tell Prime Minister Andy Burnham to ban all forms of fracking in law and close the loophole.

In partnership with Friends of the Earth UK.

View the full petition text.

Tell the Prime Minister: ban all fracking, for good, in law

To: Prime Minister Andy Burnham
We urge you to use the upcoming Energy Independence Bill to end fracking in the UK permanently, as your party promised in its manifesto. You should do this by:

  1. Closing the loophole that currently permits applications for low-volume fracking and other fracking techniques like acid fracturing.
  2. Enshrining a permanent fracking ban in law
  3. Ensuring this ban applies to areas covered by existing licences.

Further information:
The UK's fracking pause dates from 2019. It only covers high-volume fracking, so companies are applying to use lower-volume methods under different names. These have already been approved at West Newton in East Yorkshire. At Burniston in North Yorkshire, almost 1,600 people objected, and the council refused the plans, but the company is appealing.1, 2

Friends of the Earth found 79 constituencies in England where this kind of fracking could still happen. A leading geologist warns that lower-volume fracking can trigger earthquakes as large and unpredictable as high-volume fracking.1

Because the pause isn't in law, any government can lift it. Liz Truss did in 2022. Reform UK says it would lift the ban immediately.2 Only a full ban in law will protect communities for good.

Sources:

1. 79 constituencies still at risk from fracking, DrillOrDrop, 21 July 2026
2. The reason why fracking could still go ahead in England, Channel 4 News, 19 July 2026

Tell the Prime Minister: ban all fracking, for good, in law

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