In case you missed it, the Scottish government was up before the beak over its decision to ban fracking last year in a case was brought Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe and Reach CSG. We know fracking is banned because first minister Nicola Sturgeon told us so last year. She shouted: “Fracking is being banned in Scotland, end of story.” Meanwhile, the SNP’s website states: “The Scottish Government has put in place a ban on fracking in Scotland — meaning fracking cannot and will not take place in Scotland.” That pretty much passes the duck test. Yet James Mure QC, the expensive silk representing the Scottish government, insisted the suggestion that fracking had been banned in Scotland was, er . . . wrong. He told the Court: “The concept of an effective ban is a gloss. It is the language of a press statement.”
Times 13th May 2018 read more »
