Cameron backs fracking

Cheaper energy bills and tens of thousands of new jobs. Today the Prime Minister said he thought the benefits were too great to ignore as he stressed his support for fracking, even in populated areas of the South.

There are three potential sites in the region. Test drilling has already been been carried out at Cowden near Tunbridge Wells. Tests are underway at at Balcombe in Sussex and planning pernission granted for exploratory work at a site near Sandwich. Around 40 more sites are being looked at.

This week, hundreds of protesters are expected to join an existing protest at Balcombe to set up a climate camp - which will call for fracking to be banned. Andy Dickenson has been there to gauge reaction.

Greenpeace have responded to David Cameron's support of fracking throughout Britain.

This morning the Prime Minister gave his backing to fracking, saying that he thought it would create new jobs and secure Britain's energy future.

Read: David Cameron sets out support for fracking in Sussex

Fracking protestor George Barba shares his reaction to David Cameron's comments in support of the fracking process.

Our reporter Andy Dickenson spoke to protestors in Balcombe about their response to the Prime Minister's controversial comments.

Despite the Prime Minister's support of the fracking process, protestors at Balcombe are continuing to oppose the drilling process.

In an effort to persuade communities of the benefits of fracking, the process of extracting gas by the hydraulic fracturing of rock using high pressure liquid, firms will offer £100,000 of benefits for each exploratory well.

David Cameron also believes that fracking could bring in more jobs.

In today's telegraph, Greenpeace have responded to comments made by the Prime Minister as he backed the fracking process.

Leila Dean, Greenpeace Energy Campaigner said:

"If this is David Cameron’s attempt to reassure his party and voters, he’ll have to up his game. We’ve seen that foisting fracking on communities – South or North – doesn’t work, and his comments are likely to further stir rebellion in the Home Counties, not quell it."

He sought to play down fears about the environmental dangers posed by fracking, claiming there was "no evidence" that it would cause contamination of water supplies or other damage if properly regulated.

Last week Mr Cameron said Britain would be "making a big mistake" if it did not seriously consider fracking and the prospect of cheaper gas prices.

The Prime Minister said the country is "missing out big time at the moment" and Mr Osborne warned it would be a "real tragedy" for the UK to allow the "energy revolution" to bypass it.

In an effort to persuade communities of the benefits of fracking, the process of extracting gas by the hydraulic fracturing of rock using high pressure liquid, firms will offer £100,000 of benefits for each exploratory well.

Mr Cameron said:

He also claimed a thriving shale-gas industry could create tens of thousands of jobs.

The Prime Minister's intervention follows comments from former Government adviser Lord Howell of Guildford, the father-in-law of Chancellor George Osborne, who suggested that fracking should be confined to "desolate" areas of northern England.

Fracking has transformed the energy market in the United States, cutting costs for households and businesses and ministers hope for a similar effect in the UK.

The Prime Minister said it has "real potential to drive energy bills down" and insisted that the Government was not "turning our back" on low carbon generation but needed to secure a mix of energy sources.

David Cameron has insisted that the whole of the country should accept fracking.

The Prime Minister said the process would not damage the countryside and cause only "very minor change to the landscape".

Writing in The Daily Telegraph Mr Cameron said: "I want all parts of our nation to share in the benefits: north or south, Conservative or Labour."

He added: