With test drilling now under way in Balcombe, the war of words is heating up. As one would expect, the Luddites at the Guardian are stirring any pot they can find, and Damian Carrington's story focuses on allegations that Cuadrilla trespassed on private land while undertaking geophysical surveys. Mountains and molehills are words that spring to mind, and one is left with the overwhelming impression that there is another side to the story too.
Meanwhile, Twitter also remains dominated by greens, with barely a squawk from anyone in favour, but at least Cuadrilla have now made themselves heard - CEO Francis Egan is interviewed in the Mail on Sunday (scroll down here) and does a pretty good job of relaying the facts.
However, any benefits from Egan's intervention are entirely undone by Energy Minister Michael Fallon, who is reported (at the same URL) as follows:
The Tory Minister responsible for fracking has conjured up a chilling image of swathes of rural England shaking with the sound of drills as a result of the drive for shale gas.
Referring to people living in the countryside who have supported fracking, Energy Minister Michael Fallon said at a private meeting in Westminster: ‘We are going to see how thick their rectory walls are, whether they like the flaring at the end of the drive!’
While it is fair to say that there are going to be some impacts, the remarks about rectory walls are absurd - I wonder whether the story is being embellished by the journalists who have reported the story (it appears elsewhere too) or by their source. It is nevertheless a complete own goal in PR terms.
Facing down the greens and their Luddite friends in the press is going to be pivotal for the government. Failure will have appalling consequences for the country.
It's a pity then that nobody on our side of the debate seems geared up for the fight.