Burnham Faces North Sea Oil Call as UK Drifts Toward Drilling
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- Andy Burnham is expected to be confirmed as UK prime minister after securing the support of nearly 350 Labour MPs, with North Sea drilling flagged as an early test for his incoming administration.
- Labour's 2024 manifesto explicitly states it will not issue new licences to explore new fields, but Rosebank and Jackdaw predate Labour taking power, complicating the commitment.
- The oil and gas industry and trade unions sent a letter to Labour MPs calling on them to 'back North Sea oil and gas', framing support as 'a signal that government backs the people and places that have powered this country for generations.'
- Ed Miliband, who previously called the Rosebank licence 'climate vandalism', is now reportedly open to granting consent to the Jackdaw field, per Scottish Labour MP conversations.
- The SNP has shifted from Nicola Sturgeon's 2023 presumption against new drilling to John Swinney's softened stance, with new economy secretary Stephen Flynn pledging to be a vocal 'champion' for the oil and gas sector.
- Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to 'get Britain drilling', rhetoric that resonated in the Aberdeen South by-election, where the Conservatives won the seat.
- Westminster MPs note Donald Trump as one of the voices lobbying Burnham toward more North Sea drilling, alongside public concerns about energy bills.
Why it matters: Burnham's first major decision will force a concrete answer on whether Labour's climate manifesto holds against political pressure from unions, industry, his own Scottish MPs, and the Conservatives — a decision that signals whether 2024 manifesto commitments survive contact with energy security politics.
