EAST Lancashire anti-fracking campaigners have welcomed Labour’s party conference commitment to ban the controversial process.

But Hyndburn MP Graham Jones and the GMB union believe the move is short-sighted.

Next month local government secretary Sajid Javid will decide whether to overrule Lancashire County Council’s rejection of two applications by drilling firm Cuadrilla to drill for shale gas on the Fylde.

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Opponents fear that he will give fracking the green light and open the way for the process to come to the M65 corridor around Ribble Valley, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale.

At the Labour conference in Liverpool which finished yesterday, shadow energy secretary Barry Gardiner said: “Fracking locks us into an energy infrastructure that is based on fossil fuels long after our country needs to have moved to clean energy.

“So I am announcing that a future Labour government will ban fracking.”

Colne resident David Penney, from ‘Keep East Lancashire Frack Free’, said: “This is great news. It shows the tide is turning against this dangerous and environmentally-damaging process.”

Senior Blackburn with Darwen Labour councillor Dave Harling said: “I am absolutely delighted.

“Fracking is environmentally damaging and it’s right a Labour government would ban it.”

Mr Jones said: “We are not banning fracking because it is unsafe.

“I support moving away from fossil fuels but we need a domestic supply of gas while we do.

“That is better than buying gas, as the GMB’s Gary Smith said, ‘from hangmen and head-choppers’.

“The UK’s gold-plated regulations system can make fracking safe.

“We have done it in the North Sea for years.

“I spoke to Mr Gardiner and he admits it can be safe.”