Andy Burnham backs North Sea drilling in bombshell move | Politics | News
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has approved a gas field in the North Sea (Image: Getty)
Andy Burnham has approved drilling of the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. The Prime Minister gave the development the green light on Wednesday following months of pressure from opposition parties and his own MPs.
He said the move would protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter. The development will start supplying gas to homes and businesses from the end of the month, the Government said.
Mr Burnham said: โI welcome the Energy Secretaryโs decision, which will protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter. At a time when people are really struggling, it’s right that we look in a responsible way at maximising the existing energy reserves we have in Britain that could help.
โWeโre committed to moving towards renewable energy and reaching net zero by 2050. But even on our ambitious climate path, weโll still require oil and gas as part of our energy needs for decades to come. Thatโs why weโre taking a pragmatic approach to the North Sea. Weโre also establishing a new Energy Wealth Fund to invest in renewable energy, support the green transition and help reduce energy bills over the long-term.
โOur approach will ensure we can boost our energy security, back British workers, ringfence future North Sea proceeds to speed up the green transition, hit our ambitious climate targets and – crucially – bring down bills.โ
Drilling in the Jackdaw gas field will not bring down bills this winter, Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has said.
She added: โI think itโs important to say that upfront. But look, the key consideration in coming to this decision was at a time when we are in an energy crisis triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.
โEnergy security is really important and this will contribute to the homegrown sources of energy that we have.
โThe project will be able to supply homes and businesses across the country this month โ and thatโs really critical.โ
The gas field was approved by the former Conservative government in 2022 but was delayed by a legal ruling from a Scottish court when environmental groups argued consent was given without fully considering the climate impact.
Jackdaw’s owner said it will account for 6% of UK gas output when at peak production but environmental groups say it will provide only 2% of UK use when imports are included. Mr Burnham is maintaining the Labour manifesto moratorium on any new North Sea licences being issued.
A decision on whether to approve the development of the Rosebank โoil and gas field will take longer, the Government has said.
Industry bodies have argued that starting production at the sites would provide much-needed jobs and improve the UK’s energy security as overseas conflicts threaten supply.
Ms Fahnbulleh said: โThis decision will support the countryโs energy security with homegrown gas this winter and help minimise the UKโs use of imported higher emission fuels as we continue our transition to renewables and nuclear.
โThe decision is compatible with our legally binding climate commitments, and we remain resolute in ending new licences for oil and gas and achieving net zero by 2050.โ
Environmentalists fear Jackdaw’s gas will hamper efforts to slash planet-warming carbon emissions as deadly heatwaves and extreme weather affect people across the globe.
Kate Norgrove, chief impact officer at WWF said: โThis is a disappointing decision and the government now urgently needs to show that it remains 100% committed to the clean energy transition by rejecting the even more damaging Rosebank oil field. It must set out the UK’s roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels for good, securing well-paid clean energy jobs and protecting the public from soaring bills in the process.
โThe truth is that this decision will only support a tiny number of jobs, do nothing to lower prices, barely move the needle on growth, and undermine the UKโs climate leadership. We have all seen the devastating consequences of rising temperatures this summer for people and nature, and itโs clear that politicians are out of step with public opinion on taking action on climate change.”
Jackdaw, which is about 150 miles (241.4km) east of Aberdeen, is a gas field which its operators say could be connected to the UK network within months.
The Conservatives had accused Mr Burnham of โdithering and delayingโ on the approval.
The Prime Minister was said to be putting off a decision on the Jackdaw gas field until after the crunch Holborn and St Pancras by-election due to fears of the threat from the Green Party.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Finally. Labour spent two years faffing about to make a decision which Conservatives had already approved two years ago. If theyโd done this in the summer weโd have had that gas heating British homes this Christmas. An unnecessary waste of time and money by a party that puts its own interest above the countryโs.
Unions have welcomed Jackdaw’s approval because of the need to avoid a “jobless transition” to renewables.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: โIn my conversations with the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, I have been very clear that whilst we of course support net zero, we cannot have a jobless transition, abandon our energy security or offshore our carbon responsibilities. That is why we have argued for this decision on Jackdaw.
โThis gives us a bit more time to create and fund a concrete plan for commensurate jobs for workers currently working in the North Sea. Now we urgently need to use that and invest in industries like wind turbine manufacture and refining green jet fuel. We simply cannot let go of one rope until we have hold of another.โ
