Agreeing with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is becoming a bit of a habit. But, after his Wonga versus credit unions comments, this was what he tweeted in response to Lord Howell’s view that the ‘desolate’ North East would be a good place to start ‘fracking’: “North-east England very beautiful, rugged, welcoming, inspiring, historic, advancing, not ‘desolate’ as was said in House of Lords today.”
Former Leader of Newcastle City Council Lord Beecham, now a Labour peer, said: “Neville Chamberlain spoke of pre-war Czechoslovakia as ‘a faraway country of which we know nothing’. Lord Howell clearly has a similar view on the north-east and his comments once again highlight the Tories’ problem with the north.”
I am as uncertain about fracking as the next person, but I am certain that I wouldn’t trust Tories like Howell to get it right. So here are some of my favourite scenes of desolation to help us to sit and reflect on the issues.
Bamburgh Castle
Some iconic bridges
Sunset over very desolate South Shields
High Force, Co Durham
Lindisfarne. Aidan found it tranquil, or was it desolate. More on Lindisfarne here.
Dunstanburgh Castle – old ruin suitable for fracking
St James’ Park. Don’t tell Mike Ashley about fracking. It will just give him ideas.
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