Labour voters demand increased oil and gas drilling
MANY more Labour voters than not want increased oil and gas drilling, according to a poll that heaps more pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to overrule Ed Miliband’s Net Zero crusade, reports BritPanorama.
A JL Partners survey found 50 per cent of the Prime Minister’s supporters at the last election favour increased North Sea extraction, compared to only 29 per cent who prefer less.
The Energy Secretary is refusing to amend his ban on new exploration licences despite rising calls for home-grown energy production amid the supply crisis attributed to the ongoing Iran war.
He is yet to decide on whether to permit drilling at the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields.
The poll commissioned by communications firm Blakeney indicates that 47 per cent of respondents in England support “more oil and gas drilling in the North Sea,” while 26 per cent oppose it. Notably, this includes 76 per cent of Tory voters and 74 per cent of Reform voters. Even 30 per cent of Green voters expressed a preference for increased drilling.
Blakeney’s Gabe Winn commented on the data, stating: “You know politics has shifted when even a third of Green voters think the answer to the energy crisis might lie beneath the North Sea. These figures should serve as a stark wake-up call for Ed Miliband and No.10. The public and Labour voters have made their views clear.”
Sir Keir Starmer remains committed to advancing his renewable energy agenda, backed by Miliband. He stated in an interview with the Sunday Times: “All the time we’re on the international fossil fuel market, families up and down the country will have their energy bills affected. This is about taking back control. We have to have energy independence.”
The evolving dynamics within Labour’s voter base reflect broader concerns over energy security, suggesting a pivotal moment for the party as it navigates the balance between environmental commitments and public sentiment.
