Is Burnham trying to appease Trump? Or Reform? What other reason is there for these North Sea oil plans? | George Monbiot — SkimNews
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- Andy Burnham's government is set to approve the Jackdaw gasfield this week, generating just 27 direct full-time jobs, with Rosebank oilfield approval likely to follow at 450 UK jobs over its lifetime
- The UK's net zero economy already directly employs 300,000 people with another 400,000 planned, while the broader green economy employs over 600,000 — dwarfing the fossil fuel fields' job creation
- A recent estimate cited by Monbiot suggests the climate damage from the fields' extra emissions would outweigh any economic benefits several times over
- Environment Secretary Angela Eagle last week urged the public to store extra food at home, citing potential catastrophic environmental breakdown, while the UK government refuses to maintain strategic food reserves
- Monbiot argues the approval could push disillusioned Labour voters toward Zack Polanski and the Greens, potentially delivering Starmer's vacated seat
- Jackdaw gas would make a negligible contribution to UK supply and bills, while Rosebank oil is unlikely to be refined in Britain due to limited capacity
Why it matters: Combined, the two fields create 477 direct fossil fuel jobs against a green economy already employing over 900,000 — a gap Monbiot argues could push Labour voters to the Greens and cost the party Starmer's former seat.
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