Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell has hit out at INEOS over its legal challenge to a fracking ban in Scotland.

The multinational chemicals company is challenging a moratorium (temporary halt) on the controversial practice, which was announced by the Scottish Government in 2015.

Mr Ruskell, a Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP, called INEOS' legal bid a "desperate" attempt to cause uncertainty.

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"This legal bid is a desperate attempt by a mega-rich multinational that knows it's lost the argument, while pretending to ignore the democratic will of the Scottish Parliament," he said.

"We've argued for a long time that the extension of the government's planning moratorium wasn't a real ban, which is why Greens strengthened it in October 2017, with a majority at Holyrood supporting our call to prevent a future government overturning the policy on a whim.

"As a result of Green campaigning, the ban is now included in the Energy Strategy and will soon become part of the National Planning Framework. We continue to monitor the Scottish Government's work on this."

(LM/MH)