The ban for England had been lifted by Liz Truss, but Rishi Sunak made it one of his first reversals as PM.
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The moratorium on fracking in England has been restored by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Downing Street confirmed Mr Sunak was committed to the ban on fracking in England set out in his party’s 2019 manifesto.
His predecessor Liz Truss lifted the ban, saying fracking could take place where there was local consent.
But this provoked a backlash from many Conservative MPs because of concerns about earth tremors linked to fracking.
The controversial process, which involves drilling into the earth to recover gas from shale rock, was halted in 2019 following opposition from environmental groups and local communities.
Labour and other opposition parties are also against the return of fracking.
Mr Sunak was asked about the issue during his first Prime Minister’s Questions earlier.
Green MP Caroline Lucas asked if the new PM would restore the moratorium on fracking pledged in the Conservatives’ 2019 manifesto.
He replied: “I have already said I stand by the manifesto on that.”
The Tories’ general election manifesto said the party would not support fracking unless the science showed “categorically” that it could be carried out safely.
The PM’s official spokesman later confirmed Mr Sunak was committed to this promise.
Mr Sunak has previously expressed support for fracking. Just a week ago he voted against a Labour motion to ban the practice.
Asked during a Tory leadership debate with Ms Truss in July whether he would support fracking, he replied: “Yes, if local communities support it.”
Labour’s shadow climate and net zero secretary Ed Miliband said: “Whatever their latest position, the truth is that the Tories have shown that they cannot be trusted on the issue of fracking. The only way to guarantee that fracking will be banned for good is to elect a Labour government.”
The move was welcomed by environmental groups, with Friends of the Earth campaigner Danny Gross describing it as a “fantastic victory for common sense”.
Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, said: “[Fracking] is unpopular, and few communities would approve fracking projects locally, meaning little or no gas would be extracted, despite the high political cost.
“Instead, the government should focus on building more cheap and popular renewables, including onshore wind and solar where there is local support.”
Image source, Getty Images
Ms Lucas said she was “very pleased” there had been a “resurgence of common sense”.
“Nobody wants it [fracking], the climate can’t stand it, and it doesn’t get our fuel bills down,” the Brighton Pavilion MP added.
Ms Truss announced her decision to lift the moratorium in September. With energy bills rising, she argued fracking could boost the UK’s gas supplies, but the move prompted strong opposition from some Conservative MPs.
The evening before her resignation, there were accusations of Tory MPs being bullied and manhandled during a vote on fracking brought forward by Labour.
Ministers denied physical force had been used to persuade colleagues to vote with the government.
The government ultimately won the vote with a majority of 96, but 40 Tories did not take part.
The chaos of the vote also contributed to Ms Truss’s swift downfall the following day, just 44 days after she took office.
The Scottish and Welsh governments continue to oppose fracking, and say they will not use their powers to grant drilling licences.
In the past consent to begin fracking has been given only for two sites in Lancashire, neither of which are now in operation.
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