Burnham expected to reverse ban on new oil and gas drilling
7 reported
Andy Burnham is expected to relax government restrictions on new oil and gas drilling when he becomes prime minister, according to a single-source report from The Guardian. A decision to grant new licences in the North Sea would mark a departure from Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which pledged to honour existing licences but not issue new ones. The party has been divided, with trade unions and some Labour MPs urging Burnham to back the sector, while others favour shifting focus to renewable energy. Burnham will become prime minister on Monday and is expected to set out his policy agenda, including plans to take water and energy companies under public control and initiate a major council-house building programme. The debate largely centres around two sites, Rosebank and Jackdaw, off the north-eastern coast of Scotland, whose licences were approved under the Conservatives but overturned last year by a Scottish court. The Green party criticized the possibility of new licences, with MP Adrian Ramsay stating that approving new oil and gas drilling is the wrong response to the climate crisis.
What’s reported
Andy Burnham is expected to relax restrictions on new oil and gas drilling when he becomes prime minister.
The decision would mark a departure from Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which pledged to honour existing licences but not issue new ones.
The party has been divided, with trade unions and some Labour MPs urging support for new drilling.
Burnham will become prime minister on Monday and is expected to set out his policy agenda, including plans to take water and energy companies under public control and initiate a major council-house building programme.
The debate largely centres around two sites, Rosebank and Jackdaw, off the north-eastern coast of Scotland.
Licences for these sites were approved under the Conservatives but overturned last year by a Scottish court.
The Green party criticized the possibility of new licences, with MP Adrian Ramsay saying approving new oil and gas drilling is the wrong response to the climate crisis.
Key figures
Andy Burnham, incoming prime minister
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader
Ed Miliband, energy secretary and Burnham ally
Claire Coutinho, former energy secretary and shadow energy secretary
Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus
Adrian Ramsay, Green party MP
Sources: The Guardian
