GREEN Party health spokesperson Larry Sanders highlighted the risks of fracking and nuclear energy during the radio debate in Lydney.

Mr Sanders, whose brother Bernie ran against Hillary Clinton for the US Democratic nomination, took part in BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions? programme hosted at Lydney Town Hall on September 2.

Mr Sanders said: “We have a vast amount of oil and gas. But the problem is if we burn it, we ruin the future for the planet for generations to come.

“Fracking is bringing more stuff up which shouldn’t be brought up to burn at the expense of communities.

“There is a lot of damage that has been done because of fracking.

"It gets into the water supply.

"It’s a very nasty business and it’s unnecessary.”

The debate over fracking arose following a question by Linda Symonds who asked what would happen should the UK Government reject the plans for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset.

Mr Sanders said: “It’s one of the real looming disasters and I hope Theresa May rejects it in the end.

“The solution is the one that in the end we will have to come to. We have a sun, we have wind, we have tides, we have geothermal energy. The world eventually will work on renewable energy.

“Sooner or later we will get there. I hope it’s sooner.”

Theresa Villiers MP hoped the plans aren’t rejected. “I think it’s right that the Prime Minister re-tests this,” she said.

“We still need to pursue the nuclear option. We need to find a new way to deliver nuclear power in this country. But it is also important to persist in delivering renewables.

“We can’t do it all with renewables we need nuclear as well.”

Breitbart journalist James Delingpole said: “We could get energy more efficiently from shale gas.

"Renewables are certainly not the answer.

“The only reason you are against fracking is because it sounds like a dirty word and you’ve been subjected to endless propaganda by greenies like Larry. But fracking is the way forward."

The Government formally issued a licence for gas exploration in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley to South Western Energy.

For gas exploration or extraction to take place a planning application must be submitted and passed by Gloucestershire County Council before any drilling were to commence.