07/08/2016 BBC Weekend News

People living in areas affected by any future extraction of shale

gas could be paid thousands of pounds

That's one of the options in a consultation over

the controversial fracking process due to start tomorrow.

Green campaigners have reacted angrily, calling it a "bribe".

Here's our business reporter, Theo Leggett.

This was the scene when councillors in North Yorkshire recently approved

plans to frack for glass in Ryedale. Campaigners have been fighting the

plan for two years. Fracking involves injecting water, sand and

chemicals into rocks deep underground, breaking them apart and

releasing the gas they contain. In the United States, where fracking is

common, there are claims it can cause serious pollution and

contaminate water supplies. People living near fracking sites here are

worried they could suffer similar problems. There are also fears of

disruption in rural towns and villages. The Government has already

said some of the money from fracking could be returned to communities,

now it says individual households could be paid directly. Some welcome

the plan. I am pleased about that, I think it is a good intervention

Theresa May has done so the local community can benefit directly

rather than using a community group, because that would involve

committees and trying to agree on what to spend the money on. But

environmental groups have accused the Government of resorting to

bribery, they insist protesters won't be bought off so easily. I

don't think these communities will be fooled by the offer of a cheap

bribe. The reality is that every year, the more people that learn

about fracking, the more people in Britain don't want it so

why is the Government trying to force it on people that don't want

it? Nevertheless the proposal has impressed some observers, including

a leading critic of the Government. Fracking could transform the British

economy if it becomes widespread, with a cheap source of fuel, but

also I would see it as the beginnings of the impact council

house sales had in marshalling support behind Mrs Thatcher. So far

this is just a proposal that has been put out for consultation but

the Government has already made it clear the principle could be

extended into other sectors which has led to speculation that people

affected by major railway could also one day be offered payments.

I suppose the big question for people affected is will it happen?

Something will happen, it depends how it is done. The Government wants

to put 10% of tax revenues from shale gas projects back into

communities, the question is whether that money goes to community trusts,

local authorities or back directly into people's pockets, but we know

Theresa May is keen on this idea of compensating people directly so in

some form it may happen. Whether it is thousands of pounds or less than

that, we don't know. Theo, thank you.

A senior Conservative MP who backed a Remain vote in the EU referendum

said the campaign made a "terrible mistake" in not discussing

Anna Soubry, who was a Business Minister,

told a BBC documentary that

concerns about the Remain campaign's tactics were dismissed.

Here's our Political Correspondent, Chris Mason.

His report contains some flash photography. It was the moment that

changed politics and changed the country, the suppose at outsiders

have won, the establishment, big business and elliptical parties had

very definitely lost, and so they are now asking why. One senior Tory

who backed Remain said it was a terrible mistake not to talk about

immigration, and... One of my colleagues have said they were very

worried it was all project fear and there should be more positivity and

that was dismissed, and I said on two locations I'm really worried

about the Labour vote, and it was, yes, whatever. That worry was

justified, it turned out, and plenty are now blaming Jeremy Corbyn. Not

only was he most of the time absent from the battle, but he was holding

back the efforts of Alan Johnson and the campaign. They felt undermined,

at times they felt their efforts were being sabotaged. There were far

too many people who didn't know Labour's position on the referendum

and I think that is because of a lack of concerted campaigning by the

leadership over many months leading up to that point. So the leader let

you down really? I felt let down, yes. But Jeremy Corbyn's team said

he did make Labour's case for remaining in and reforming the EU,

and allies again have defended his role. I think all leading members of

the Labour Party were out actively campaigning and Jeremy played his

part in that collective effort by doing a lot of media appearances, a

lot of meetings up and down the country. He played his part and we

all played our part in campaigning for that. For the losers then,

reflection. For the winners, justification. Once lonely argument

endorsed by the majority. Ultimately this referendum was won by people

saying, we have got to get back control of our borders and a more

sane, better immigration system into Britain. Whatever the reasons, Vote

Leave were victorious and have reshaped politics forever.

And you can see the full documentary -

"Brexit: The Battle for Britain" tomorrow night

Iran has confirmed that a nuclear scientist has been executed

after a court there convicted him of spying for America.

Shahram Amiri disappeared in Saudi Arabia in June 2009

and resurfaced a year later in the United States.

Officials had initially welcomed him on his return to Iran

but he was later accused of working with western intelligence agencies.

The South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been treated

in hospital after suffering minor injuries to his wrists.

A prison spokesperson said Pistorius denied attempting to kill himself.

He is now back in his cell, where he's serving a six-year jail

sentence for murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Macedonian police say the capital of Skopje has been hit by torrential

rain and floods and has left at least 15 people dead,

The city's mayor has described the situation as 'worst Skopje

A police spokeswoman said that heavy rain,

strong winds and thunderstorms hit the capital and its

Rescue crews have been sent to the worst-hit areas to evacuate

As the Olympic Games in Rio enter their second full day,

athletics is facing new allegations of doping.

The Sunday Times, which conducted an undercover operation, says

a senior Kenyan official offered to warn athletes in his country

when drugs tests were imminent in return for a payment.

But Major Michael Rotich says he went along with the sting

because he wanted to identify the undercover reporters

Kenya's anti-doping agency has said it will investigate.

Later today, an announcement is expected that Russia, which has

been accused of state-sponsored doping, will be barred

from the Paralympics, which start next month.

With news about that, and a look ahead to today's

action in the Olympics, live now to Rio and our

Firstly that news about Russia. The International Olympic Committee

decided controversially not to ban all of Russia's competitors from the

Olympics. There's about 270 of them competing here, but later on it is

expected the International Paralympic committee will impose a

blanket ban, meaning there will be no Russian athletes at the

Paralympics here next month. As far as the action is concerned, still no

medals yet for Team GB although Hannah Miley came so close last

night in the swimming, finishing in fourth place. But there are high

hopes later in the aquatic centre behind me for Adam Beatty as he goes

for gold in the 100 metres breaststroke. Yesterday he had the

two fastest times in history, a world record in the heats and

another hugely impressive display in the semifinals and he has a great

chance of becoming the first British man to win an Olympic swimming title

since Adrian Moorhouse back in 1988. There are also high hopes in the

cycling as well for Lizzie Armistead in the women's road race. She faced

the prospect of being banned from these games after missing three

drugs tests but she appealed successfully and is competing here,

and she has a great chance of a gold medal, Gavin. Andy Swiss, thank you.

Hundreds of people have gathered in a park near

The unofficial gathering was organised to remember the 85

people who were killed on Bastille Day by a man who drove

Flowers were laid and a minute's silence held.

You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.

The next news on BBC One is at six o'clock bye for now.