The SNP has let down their supporters in Dumbarton, Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Lomond by failing to oppose fracking in a crucial vote at Holyrood last week, local MSP Jackie Baillie has said.

Last  week the SNP abstained on a vote to ban fracking in Scotland despite both Nationalist MPs representing West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute having campaigned against the potentially dangerous and controversial practice. Martin Docherty-Hughes MP has described it as a ‘potential threat’ to the drinking water supply in West Dunbartonshire and Brendan O’Hara believes fracking is a big issue for people in Argyll and Bute.

The SNP suffered their first Holyrood defeat since forming a minority government after MSPs from the Greens and Lib Dems backed Labour’s calls for an outright ban on fracking. Labour’s was backed by 32 votes to 29, with all SNP MSPs choosing to abstain.

Commenting after the vote, Jackie said:

“There is no doubt about the science – to meet our climate change goals and protect our environment we need to develop low carbon sources of energy, not another fossil fuel. Labour’s position is clear – no ifs, no buts, no fracking. At one stage there was even a  suggestion that fracking could take place in the National Park, which would be quite simply unacceptable.

“The SNP has completely abandoned any pretence of protecting our local communities from the interests of big business. They could have sent a clear message by voting for an outright ban on fracking but instead they sat on their hands and did nothing. This is a betrayal of everything the SNP stood for at the Westminster and Holyrood elections.

“People in Dumbarton, Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Lomond are rightly concerned by the potential damage that fracking would cause to our homes and our environment and Labour will continue to work with the progressive parties in the Scottish Parliament to argue for an outright ban