• Disrupting Power Since 2015
  • Donate
  • Login
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Canary
MEDIA THAT DISRUPTS
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION
SUPPORT
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Canary
No Result
View All Result

A court just gave Sajid Javid the right to completely ignore democracy

Steve Topple by Steve Topple
16 August 2017
in Environment, Other News & Features, UK
Reading Time: 3 mins read
165 7
A A
0
Home Other News & Features Environment
319
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A court has granted the Conservative government the right to essentially ignore local authority decisions. And the will of whole communities. Because a judge has ruled that Communities Secretary Sajid Javid acted within the law on a controversial fracking decision. A campaign group say the case may set a precedent.

You fracking what?

On 15 March the Preston New Road Action Group (PNRAG) took Javid and the government to a Manchester court. The group was challenging the decision by the Communities Secretary to allow oil and gas exploration company Cuadrilla to extract unconventional oil and gas – or ‘frack’ – at the Preston New Road site. This is near the village of Little Plumpton in Lancashire. PNRAG claimed Javid and the government had breached planning law. But Mr Justice Dove disagreed, saying no PNRAG arguments “have been made out in substance”.

Frack you, Javid

Moreover with this case, the government overrode the decisions of Westby Parish Council, Fylde Borough Council and Lancashire County Council. All three refused to grant Cuadrilla a licence to frack.

PNRAG told The Canary at the time of Javid’s decision:

It is wholly undemocratic. The ramifications of overturning local planning decisions are huge… Ordinary people are appalled… Dismantling the democratic process to facilitate a dirty fossil fuel industry… is another example of… governmental hypocrisy. It is clear to all that this government neither listens nor can it be trusted to do the right thing for local communities. Profit clearly comes before people.

Frack the police

Javid’s decision has caused controversy in the Lancashire community. Cuadrilla officially began work on 5 January. And ever since, protesters have been at the site. But their demonstrations against the work have not been without incident. As The Canary previously reported, protesters and local councillors have accused police at the site of “gratuitous violence”. The police deny those accusations.

A fracking disgrace

Pat Davies, Chair of PNRAG told The Canary:

The ramifications of [going] against the express wishes of the democratically-elected local planning committee and local community are immense. Residents are suffering ill health and overwhelming anxiety about their future. With concerns for the the environment they and future generations live in. This contradictory approach smacks of muddled thinking at best, or autocracy at worst. If a planning process can be controlled by corporate interests and government policy of the moment, it is neither fit for purpose and begs the question whether local democracy now plays any part in the planning process.

But ironically, 46 miles south of Preston New Road, the government has devolved power from Westminster to Manchester to allow local determination.

The government already felt it could ride roughshod over the democratic will of local councils, and local people. But with a court now agreeing, the government has a free pass to subvert democracy for fracking where it sees fit.

And big businesses like Cuadrilla can simply bulldoze their way through politicians, people and the environment.

Get Involved!

– Support campaigns against fracking.

Featured image via Flickr

Share128Tweet80
Previous Post

A media-wide fake news story about Jeremy Corbyn has been unravelled by on-the-scene footage [VIDEO]

Next Post

BBC Panorama won’t name the senior MPs at the heart of a major banking scandal. So we are [VIDEO]

Next Post
BBC Panorama LIBOR

BBC Panorama won't name the senior MPs at the heart of a major banking scandal. So we are [VIDEO]

Father on hand

The DWP decided to take away a disabled woman's Motability car after tickling her with a feather

Gay concentration camp chechnya

Footage proves existence of Europe's first concentration camp for gay people since Nazi Germany [VIDEO]

People are actually sleeping in bins in Tory Britain. And it’s only going to get worse.

People are actually sleeping in bins in Tory Britain. And it's only going to get worse.

Here’s why super negotiator Boris Johnson will avert WWIII

Here’s why super negotiator Boris Johnson will avert WWIII

gideon's chariots Gaza
Analysis

Gideon’s Chariots: leaked plan shows Israel intentionally pushing Gaza to famine and forced displacement

by Alaa Shamali
20 May 2025
Gideon's Chariots Gaza
Analysis

“عربات جدعون.. مخطط إسرائيلي يقود غزة نحو مجاعة مُمنهجة وتهجير قسري

by Alaa Shamali
20 May 2025
Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer
Lifestyle

Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer

by Steve Topple
20 May 2025
trade unions protest
News

Trade unions urged “to take the lead in forming a new working-class party”

by Ed Sykes
20 May 2025
Keir Starmer looking angry
News

Keir Starmer’s leadership under pressure as 82 NGOs gang up on him

by The Canary
20 May 2025
  • Contact
  • About & FAQ
  • Get our Daily News Email
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

The Canary
PO Box 71199
LONDON
SE20 9EX

Canary Media Ltd – registered in England. Company registration number 09788095.

For guest posting, contact [email protected]

For other enquiries, contact: [email protected]

The Canary is owned and run by independent journalists and volunteers, NOT offshore billionaires.

You can write for us, or support us by making a regular or one-off donation.

© Canary Media Ltd 2024, all rights reserved | Website by Monster | Hosted by Krystal | Privacy Settings

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion

© 2023 Canary - Worker's co-op.

Before you go, have you seen...?

gideon's chariots Gaza
Analysis
Alaa Shamali

Gideon’s Chariots: leaked plan shows Israel intentionally pushing Gaza to famine and forced displacement

Gideon's Chariots Gaza
Analysis
Alaa Shamali

“عربات جدعون.. مخطط إسرائيلي يقود غزة نحو مجاعة مُمنهجة وتهجير قسري

Lifestyle
Steve Topple

Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer

trade unions protest
News
Ed Sykes

Trade unions urged “to take the lead in forming a new working-class party”

ADVERTISEMENT
Analysis
Nathan Spears

Vote for the Press Photograph of the Year 2024

Image by Burkard Meyendriesch from Pixabay
Feature
Nathan Spears

Why Santiago Ways is the Leading Choice for Walking the Camino de Santiago

Environment
Nathan Spears

EU elections point to growing public desire for new policymaking approach in Brussels