East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson in fracking row
It was revealed at the weekend that East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson accepted a £10,000 donation from Mark Petterson in July 2017 and another £4,000 in January.
Petterson is a director of Warwick Energy Ltd – a firm with fracking licences across England.
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Hide AdMs Swinson, who is bidding to become Lib Dem leader, has been accused of hypocrisy as her website says she has “campaigned tirelessly to save our environment” and “took to the streets with environmental activists Extinction Rebellion”.
Local opposition politician, Strathkelvin and Bearden MSP Rona Mackay has called on Ms Swinson to issue a full explanation to constituents.
East Dunbartonshire has a strong contingent of anti-fracking campaigners.
In 2017, “Torrance Against Fracking”, a local group dedicated to stop fracking in the area, helped deliver a 5,000-strong petition to Holyrood. It asked Scottish Government Cabinet Ministers to ban fracking in Scotland.
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Hide AdPublic protests has led to the Scottish Government imposing a moratorium on fracking over environmental fears.
Ms Mackay said: “Jo Swinson has some brass neck. She’s waving a ‘save the planet’ flag in one hand while grabbing cash from fracking companies with the other.
“Just a few years ago, she voted against plans to block fracking in England. Voters will be right to question the credibility of her bid to become the next Lib Dem leader.
“The strength of feeling against fracking in Scotland is clear – this issue really matters to people and their communities.
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Hide Ad“So it’s only right Ms Swinson issues a full explanation to her constituents.”
A spokesperson for the Jo Swinson said that all donations from long-standing supporter Mark Petterson have been on a personal level.
Ms Swinson added: “I’m absolutely opposed to fracking, second, the donations were from an individual and third, if you want to talk about the company, it’s a renewable energy company, not a fracking company, 80% of their work is in renewables. It’s the sort of desperate smear that degrades our politics. I want our politics to be better than this.”