Shale of the Century (poem)

SHALE OF THE CENTURY!

(Jan. 2014. The P.M. said local councils, who grant

fracking applications, can keep 100% of business

rates {up from 50%} from shale gas sites.

Communities & householders will also be paid.)

There’s nothing like a sweetener,

When governments are out to fleece;

And their ‘Shale of the Century’, (1)

Means lots of sweaty palms to grease!

There’s nothing like a fracking bung,

Delivered with impunity;

Deliberately to then divide,

The local folk’s community.

Divide and rule has always been,

The technique that our leaders use;

When they and business want to win, (2)

And, thereby, citizens to lose.

It’s claimed they’re for cheap energy,

But their self-serving diatribe;

Against the anti-fracking groups,

Adds humbug to their blatant bribe!

They once claimed going ‘Nuclear’, (3)

Would meet cheap power needs in full;

With metering superfluous--

But that was just a load of bull!

The oil firm Total’s here to drill, (4)

(And banned from such exploits in France.)

Is rather keen to have its fill,

And profit if it can, par chance.

All local democrats will see,

Their Council’s sham ‘democracy’;

As the enhanced rates doubtlessly,

Will ‘circumvent bureaucracy’! (5)

Perhaps with fracking, certain truths,

Will be at long last understood;

With politicians and tycoons,

Told to “Frack off” for our own good!

(1) ‘Sale of the Century’: ITV Game Show which ceased in

1983 drawing a maximum of 21.2 million viewers.

(2) Freedom of Information Act requests reveal that

Government officials are collaborating with shale gas

executives to manage the public’s hostility to fracking.

3) When the first Nuclear Power Stations were built in

The 1950’s, electricity consumers were told their

electricity would be “too cheap to meter”. Such Power

Stations were built to produce weapons-grade Plutonium

and electricity production for consumers was secondary.

(4) French oil major Total announced it was taking a 40%

share in the fracking operations in the Gainsborough trough.

(5) Described by environmentalists as “a conflict of interest”,

Councils who grant fracking planning applications are the

very ones who’ll benefit from the enhanced business rates.

© Richard Layton