Category: Latest News & Press Releases

Gina will co-propose the following motion at County’s Full Council meeting on 16 October 2025

Extracting shale gas in the UK is expensive, environmentally damaging, and carries geological risks. Since 2016, the evidence against fracking – a method of recovering oil and gas from shale rock – has become clear, despite repeated attempts by the industry to present it positively. Concerns about fracking include water contamination, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, heavy road traffic, land use, and the risk of induced earth tremors.

 The promised benefits of fracking – jobs, lower energy prices, and energy security – were shown to be false during attempts to establish the industry in Lancashire. A Government-commissioned report found that only around 15% of jobs would be local, while former Energy Secretary Ed Davey confirmed it would have “no effect” on household bills.

 Recent comments by Richard Tice MP, pledging to overturn the national ban on fracking and using the phrase “Frack Baby Frack,” have caused deep concern among Lancashire residents. Although the current Reform UK administration in Lancashire has stated it would not welcome fracking on the Fylde Coast, there remains widespread public concern that it could return elsewhere in the county.

 This Council resolves:

i. To acknowledge that many Lancashire residents strongly oppose shale gas and oil extraction anywhere in the county.

ii. To note the current moratorium on fracking.

iii. To ask the Chief Executive to write to Government, calling for the existing moratorium on fracking to be replaced with a permanent national ban.

 

Gina has criticised Reform UK’s double standards on energy subsidies. She says:

“Reform leaders claim that climate resilience is too expensive for taxpayers – yet they are willing to allow even bigger subsidies to the fossil fuels sector, including corporation tax relief on North Sea oil and gas investments.”

Between 2015 and 2023 the fossil fuel sector received roughly £20 billion more in total Government support than renewables, i.e. £80 bn for fossil fuels versus around £60 bn for renewables. A fifth of the money given directly to the fossil fuels sector was to support new extraction and mining.”

Green County Councillor Gina Dowding asked the leader of the Council at the Cabinet meeting on 10 July whether he agreed with the science on climate change. While he said he agreed with the science, he didn’t agree with subsidising renewable energy or energy efficiency measures with taxpayers’ money.

At Full Council the following week, The Cabinet Member for the Environment, County Cllr Joshua Roberts, would not give a ‘yes or no’ answer to the same question.

Cllr Dowding added:

“It is not difficult to work out why Reform UK do not want to challenge fossil fuel subsidies. Their party is financed by backers with huge oil and gas interests.

“Reform must fully commit to much-needed action to make us more resilient to climate impacts, and to measures that will reduce polluting emissions from our buildings and homes, transport and industry. Warm homes with lower bills, food security and resilience to flooding would benefit all residents in Lancashire.”

Gina Dowding for Morecambe & Lunesdale – a Politics crowdfunding project in Morecambe by North Lancashire Green Party (crowdfunder.co.uk)

Getting to our £2000 target will help ensure we deliver our election leaflet to EVERY household in the constituency…..and get the visibility we so need.

Please use the link above to donate: the minimum set amount can be changed manually by clicking on the link, (so can the small fee amount asked for by crowd funder.)

 

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contacted me so far by email since the general election was called. Literally hundreds of voters have emailed me to help raise those issues important to them -and  to ask for more support. Campaigning organisations have swung into gear. And quite rightly so. THANK YOU!

I have signed pledges to support investment in sustainable transport, cycling and walking and living streets. All Green MPs will work for this, it is in our DNA. See our transport policy  here Fairer, Greener Transport – Green Party

The Green Party is the only one really committed to stop privatisation in our NHS, and to properly fund it – together we can ensure that those with long term chronic illness as well as life-threatening illnesses are cared for and treated properly. Please see here  Building a Fairer, Healthier Country – Green Party

I have signed pledges for the desperately needed action on Nature and Climate, and rewilding our countryside which is part of our hope for Bringing Nature Back to Life – Green Party

On animal welfare and  Protecting Animals – Green Party

Much of this links together through our approach to  Fairer, Greener Food and Farming – Green Party

The next Labour  Government (and ALL the polls indicate it will be a Labour Government with either a large or a very large majority)  needs to be reminded and prodded that we want a reversal of the Conservative’s dreadful and sustained attack on our public services, and to reverse the huge inequalities in our communities. Green MPs will push Labour to be bolder. Every Green vote will help remind Labour that they must be braver in tackling the climate, nature, health and social crises we face. 

If you support the above – please vote Green in this election. Even better – join us Become a member – Green Party

Green Party full manifesto are available here 2024 Manifesto: Downloads – Green Party

 

Gina pictured above with friends – including Green Party member of the House of Lords,  Natalie Bennett – to the left.

I really want to thank Women’s Aid for highlighting the need for a whole-system response to domestic abuse.

Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s I was involved in the work to set up a women’s refuge in Blackpool, and as a worker in public health in the NHS, I was pushing for more ‘multi-agency partnerships’ that were only just beginning to address the need for better/ or specific services for women experiencing abuse in housing, criminal justice, health and policing.

See more details on Women’s Aid call here

General Election 2024: Full Manifesto Final (womensaid.org.uk)