Burnham: Rosebank and Jackdaw Decisions Coming Shortly — SkimNews
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- Andy Burnham told Parliament decisions on Rosebank and Jackdaw would come "shortly," blaming the previous Conservative government for "messing up" the approval process that was subsequently struck down by the courts.
- Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said a Jackdaw decision is "imminent," while Rosebank "will take a little longer" — operators say Jackdaw could connect to the UK gas network within months if approved.
- Kemi Badenoch urged Burnham to stop "faffing about" and approve both fields, arguing all Jackdaw gas feeds the British grid and that July approval would have meant "British gas warming British homes this winter."
- The Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled last year the fields were unlawfully approved because the government failed to account for the climate impact of burning extracted fuels; licences were originally granted in 2022 and 2023.
- Environmental groups argue more drilling would undermine carbon-cutting efforts, while industry bodies say production would support jobs and UK energy security amid overseas supply threats.
Why it matters: If Jackdaw is approved, operators say gas could reach UK homes within months — and Rosebank is Britain's largest untapped oil field — making these rulings the first concrete test of Labour's pledge to honour existing oil and gas licences without issuing new ones.
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