Anti-fracking 'expert' and question marks over his credentials: Ex punk rocker 'lied and peddled pseudo science'

Daily Mail

• David Smythe accused of being less than totally honest over his credentials as shale gas expert 
• Retired geologist has been prominent in highlighting dangers of fracking
• Professor at his old university accuses him of 'pseudo-scientific scaremongering' 
• Geological Society demands he stops claiming to be chartered geologist 
• Mr Smythe insists he has done extensive research into unconventional energy extraction

Glasgow University, where he last worked in 1998, has told him he must not suggest that its academics share his views.

And Prof Paul Younger, Glasgow’s professor of energy engineering, said Mr Smythe – who played bass guitar in the 70s punk band The Rezillos – was unqualified to give expert evidence on fracking, having retired 16 years ago.

’He has published nothing on (shale gas) in any proper scientific forum – no doubt because he knows he would never get past peer review with his pseudo-scientific scaremongering.’