Andy Burnham faces choice on drilling as North Sea consultation closes

Christopher McKeon, Press Association Political Correspondent

Andy Burnham faces pressure over North Sea oil and gas as a decision on allowing new drilling moves closer.

As Britain braces for its fifth heatwave, environmental groups have urged the Prime Minister to refuse permission for oil and gas production in two areas of the North Sea, known as Jackdaw and Rosebank, as part of the fight against climate change.

But opposition politicians, the oil and gas industry and US President Donald Trump have called for him to grant permission, arguing this would protect jobs and cut household bills.

Mr Burnham’s party is also split on the issue, while watering down environmental commitments could limit Labour’s ability to tempt back voters that have switched to the Greens since 2024.

Production at both Jackdaw and Rosebank was approved by the Conservatives, but a court quashed those decisions last year after a challenge from Greenpeace, leaving the Labour Government to decide whether to go ahead.

On Monday, a further consultation on Jackdaw, a gas field 150 miles east of Aberdeen will close, while a consultation on the Rosebank oil field, north-west of Shetland, closes a week later.

The end of the consultations has brought renewed focus on the Prime Minister’s dilemma.

Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said there was “a clear choice to be made by our politicians: further fuel climate chaos, or support a fair transition to a safer future”.

Pointing to “a summer of extreme heat and devastating wildfires”, including near Aberdeen, Mr Banks said it would be “irresponsible to approve new oil and gas developments that would accelerate climate change and do nothing to lower the energy bills of UK households”.

Other environmental groups have argued that the small amount of oil and gas left in Britain’s North Sea holdings would make little difference to either prices, which are set internationally, or energy security, while increasing carbon emissions.

Ami McCarthy, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: “Trying to squeeze the last few drops of expensive oil and gas out of the North Sea while the world is reeling from climate impacts is beyond ridiculous.

“The Government should hold fast on their no new oil and gas commitment. We need true investment in the clean energy industries of the future, which are our only dependable path to good jobs, lower bills, and long-term prosperity.”

But supporters of further drilling, including the energy industry, the Conservatives and some trade unions, say it will not make a significant difference to emissions and is vital for protecting jobs.

Mr Trump has also been a vocal supporter of North Sea drilling, and said Mr Burnham “sounded terrific” on the issue in their first phone call last month.

In that call, Mr Burnham told Mr Trump the UK “can’t ignore” resources in the North Sea, and said he would take “a pragmatic approach” to further drilling.

But the Prime Minister could face an internal battle if he does approve production at Jackdaw and Rosebank.

Some within Labour back the move. Scottish MP Graeme Downie said the UK should “manage the decline of the North Sea in a way that protects workers, supports communities and builds the industries that will power Britain’s future”.

He added: “If we do not proceed with Jackdaw and Rosebank, investment will leave the UK, jobs will disappear and expertise will be lost.

“We also risk shattering the foundations of our industry and destroying the very skills we need to deliver a low-carbon future for the UK and lead the world on new technology and expertise.”

But others have warned against granting permission, pointing to Labour’s 2024 manifesto commitment not to grant new licences for drilling in the North Sea.

Labour has always said it would honour existing licences, giving it some room to approve production at Jackdaw and Rosebank.

But Norwich South MP Clive Lewis said it was a “clear commitment” and allowing production at the two fields would be “a major step backwards”.

In a letter to new Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, Mr Lewis said: “Analysts have said that the May and June 2026 heatwaves were associated with more than 2,700 excess heat-related deaths across England and Wales.

“These events are becoming more frequent and severe as climate breakdown intensifies, driven largely by greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, including oil and gas.

“Against this background, approving new drilling would undermine efforts to address the climate crisis and put a safe, liveable future further out of reach.”

Meanwhile, polling suggests Labour under Mr Burnham has begun to win back some of the voters it lost to the Greens during Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, but this could be jeopardised if the party was seen to water down its climate commitments.

Green leader Zack Polanski said approving Jackdaw and Rosebank would be “a dereliction of duty”.

He said: “Whatever weasel words are used on drilling within new or existing licences, one of the new Prime Minister’s first significant decisions would be to break Labour’s manifesto pledge.

“Jackdaw’s owner have themselves said that only 27 direct full time jobs would be created if given the go ahead.

“This has nothing to do with boosting the economy for the people of this country and far more to do with boosting obscene profits for fossil fuel companies and their shareholders.

“I made clear in my press conference last week, this needs to be treated for the serious crisis it is, with financial support for homes to keep cool and for fossil fuel giants to pay the costs of extreme weather adaptation.”

A Government spokesperson said: “The North Sea remains a vital national asset, supporting jobs, growth and the UK’s energy security.

“We are clear that oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, alongside renewables, nuclear and other low-carbon technologies.

“Our focus is on providing stability and supporting North Sea workers and communities as they continue to make a vital contribution to the UK’s economy.”

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.