Sky News: North 'Can Get Rich From Fracking, Not HS2'

The Government should scrap its £50bn high speed rail plans and instead press ahead with fracking in poor parts of the north as a means of generating wealth, a Conservative former chancellor has said.

Lord Lawson said the Coalition's efforts to rebalance the economy were "foolish and unwise" and that there was no case for the proposed HS2 rail link between London and northern cities.

He insisted it was time to "go for" the controversial shale gas extraction technique, particularly in the northwest of England, saying the controversial practice had transformed the economy in parts of the United States.

Speaking to The House magazine, Lord Lawson said: "I think that is foolish and unwise.
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