Britain is about to start fracking fight again

By Charlie Cooper | 08/04/2025 06:36 AM EDT

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK thinks there’s hundreds of billions of pounds’ worth of shale gas ripe for exploiting. But is it ready for the fracking backlash?

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks on stage during the Reform UK East Midlands Conference.

Nigel Farage’s surging Reform UK says fracking will secure U.K. energy supplies and reduce bills. Christopher Furlong/AFP via Getty Images

LONDON — Fracking is back.

Three years after a botched attempt to unleash the controversial industry helped bring down Liz Truss, it has a new fan: Nigel Farage.

Farage’s surging Reform UK says fracking will secure U.K. energy supplies and reduce bills. Opponents say that’s nonsense — and that the drilling ruins the countryside and exposes locals to the risk of mini earthquakes.

Advertisement

Brace for another round of Britain’s shale gas forever war.

GET FULL ACCESS