Noth Sea

Labour MPs tell Burnham to ignore ‘deluded’ calls for more North Sea drilling

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/30/labour-mps-tell-burnham-ignore-deluded-calls-more-north-sea-drilling

Activists stage a demonstration near the Houses of Parliament asking the government to reject any proposed plans for Rosebank oilfield. Photograph: Denise Baker/Getty Images

Critics debunk economic claims as research finds Rosebank development would produce estimated 250m tonnes of CO2

Scores of Labour MPs have urged the prospective prime minister Andy Burnham to rule out the “tin-eared” and “deluded” development of the Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea, which new research indicates would produce as much carbon dioxide as the UK does in 10 months.

Estimates seen by the Guardian show that Rosebank, which mainly contains oil, would produce about 250m tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime. That is the equivalent of about 70% of the UK’s annual emissions.

Last week’s record-breaking heatwave, which may return next week as the weather turns hotter again, showed the folly of exploiting the field, according to many MPs, who argue it would not bring down the price of fuel and would do little for the UK’s economy.

Mike Reader, the Labour MP for Northampton South, said: “Opening up the North Sea would be tin-eared while we’re dealing with record-breaking heat, and the second energy spike in four years caused by our over-reliance on oil and gas. Anyone who thinks this is a good time to take our focus off clean, secure power is frankly deluded.”

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Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/30/labour-mps-tell-burnham-ignore-deluded-calls-more-north-sea-drilling

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Continue ReadingLabour MPs tell Burnham to ignore ‘deluded’ calls for more North Sea drilling

Ed Miliband looking into more North Sea drilling despite Labour pledge

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https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/25/ed-miliband-looking-into-more-north-sea-drilling-despite-labour-pledge

An oil drilling platform off the coast of Aberdeen. Officials are understood to have looked at a range of proposals in recent weeks. Photograph: Simon Price/Alamy

[Guardian] Exclusive: Energy secretary examining ways to allow oil and gas exploration without breaking manifesto promise

Ed Miliband is planning to encourage drilling in the North Sea despite a manifesto promise not to grant new licences on new parts of the British sea bed.

The energy secretary is looking at ways in which the government can allow companies to look for and produce more oil and gas without breaking Labour’s pre-election pledge not to issue new licences on new fields.

The plans, which will be announced in the coming months as part of a wider strategy for the North Sea, come amid pressure on one side from climate activists to stop all drilling, and on the other from Donald Trump to “drill, baby, drill”.

A government spokesperson said: “The strategy will set out how the government intends to meet its manifesto commitments to ensure no new licenses to explore new fields and maintaining existing fields for their lifetime.” They said the government would meet its manifesto commitments “in full”.

Miliband has been working on proposals for the North Sea for months as the government looks for ways to maximise the lives of existing oil and gas fields without allowing completely new exploration.

Labour promised in its manifesto not to grant any new licences on new fields, and ministers are now looking at how they can implement that while also gaining an economic return from the sizeable industry which already exists. Oil and gas companies employ about 30,000 people from their base in north-east Scotland.

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Continues at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/25/ed-miliband-looking-into-more-north-sea-drilling-despite-labour-pledge

dizzy: It looks like yet more broken promises from the Labour party, seems to be what they’re really good at. Expanding airports is ignoring climate commitments, a huge danger with the North Sea is Rosebank.

Continue ReadingEd Miliband looking into more North Sea drilling despite Labour pledge