Andy Burnham signals open approach to North Sea oil
Andy Burnham has told Donald Trump he will be “pragmatic” about North Sea oil, leaving the door open for future drilling in the area, reports BritPanorama.
The new prime minister, who is seeking to deviate from Sir Keir Starmer’s deeply unpopular leadership, conveyed to the US president that the resources in the North Sea “can’t be ignored” during their phone call on his first day in office.
Following the conversation, Mr Trump stated that Mr Burnham had indicated he would “open up North Sea oil”, a remark the former Manchester mayor addressed during a visit to Barrow, in Cumbria.
“I indicated in the phone call that we had a week last Monday that I would take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that is my intention as we go forward from here,” the prime minister asserted.
In addressing Trump’s comments in Barrow, Burnham noted, “There is a resource there. When people are struggling, we can’t ignore that. Hence, me indicating that to the president.”
This exchange solidified an early endorsement from Mr Trump and marked a possible reset in the transatlantic relationship. Relations had soured under Sir Keir Starmer, particularly concerning the Iran war.
However, Labour’s 2024 manifesto explicitly vowed against issuing new North Sea licences, a commitment Mr Burnham previously supported when securing a significant majority for Labour.
Ed Miliband, who previously held the energy and net-zero brief under Starmer, has now transitioned to the role of foreign secretary.
Mr Burnham seems to have kept options open for flexibility. His successor as energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, indicated that while the manifesto was clear regarding existing licences, oil and gas could remain “part of the mix” without elaborating on potential changes.
Calls from the energy sector are growing for the approval of the Jackdaw gasfield east of Aberdeen and the Rosebank oilfield west of Shetland. However, campaigners warn that approving these projects would contravene Labour’s manifesto commitments.
Consultations on both projects are set to conclude on August 10 and August 17, respectively. The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (Opred) is expected to make a recommendation to the UK Government thereafter.
Prior to Mr Burnham’s takeover, Mr Trump had projected policy shifts under the new leadership. As a supporter of fossil fuels, the US president has often criticized renewable energy initiatives, famously clashing with the Scottish government over wind turbine developments near his Aberdeenshire golf course.
Referring to their conversation, Mr Trump remarked: “Well, he did say one very good thing. He said he’s going to open up North Sea oil. If he does that, you’re going to be a wealthy country.”
He added, “You have one of the most valuable oil finds anywhere in the world, and if the United Kingdom would use it, they’d be a wealthy country again.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanski cautioned the prime minister against further drilling efforts, asserting, “Allowing new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea will worsen the climate breakdown, putting more lives at risk and causing untold damage to our economy.”
With the balance between energy needs and environmental commitments continuing to evolve, the government faces a complex landscape of pressures and expectations in the energy sector.
