4 October 2018

Lee Rowley, told a parliamentary debate that 80,000 had signed a petition against the Marsh Lane scheme and 5,000 people had objected.

Conservative MPs have been expressing open concern over a key government policy during the party’s conference. And it may be telling of a potential revolt over the controversial issue of fracking.

‘Removing barnacles’

As the Yorkshire Post reported, Conservative MP for North East Derbyshire Lee Rowley issued a stark warning at a conference fringe event this week.

He said that the Conservatives could lose the next general election, and MPs their jobs, unless they drop their support for fracking. Rowley called the issue a “barnacle” that “needs to be removed from the Conservative boat as quickly as possible”.

Rowley reportedly quoted former Conservative election guru Lynton Crosby, saying:

At the moment the lion has not roared on fracking because we have dealt with less than…