Campaigners: green jobs not fracking

Opponents of the process, which involves injecting high-pressure water and chemicals into shale rock to release trapped natural gas, went on the offensive after the IoD claimed that drilling for shale reserves could create 35,000 jobs in Britain and provide a 10th of the its gas supply for a century.

But Merseyside TUC cast doubt on the push for fracking, which critics warn has the potential to pollute ground water supplies and has even caused earthquakes.

Green officer Clara Paillar pointed to the 2010 One Million Climate Jobs Report produced by the Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group, CWU, PCS, TSSA and UCU.

The study found that an £18 billion net investment by the government in the fight against climate change would create a million jobs, reduce carbon emissions by 75 per cent, and lower energy prices.

And Ms Paillar said: "The report shows that we simply don't need shale gas, which is an environmental disaster waiting to happen and its expansion doesn't do anything to reduce carbon emissions other than possibly marginally if at all."

The government is expected to give the green light for more fracking in a new gas strategy, but Energy Secretary Ed Davey has already warned the process was no "silver bullet."

Operators, regulatory bodies and people advocating the "latest academic research" will mingle on Wednesday and Thursday at a Shale Summit in London.

In what's billed as "Britain's first congress dedicated to development of the onshore shale gas and oil potential of the UK" organisers are claiming Britain "holds enough shale gas to power the entire country for over two years alone."

There were unconfirmed reports today that Frack Off is planning to "crash" a conference cocktail party on Wednesday evening.