Andy Burnham Faces Pressure Over North Sea Oil Plans

Andy Burnham is set to become the United Kingdom's new prime minister on Monday, taking over from Sir Keir Starmer. Even before his first day in office, he faces a big decision about North Sea oil and gas drilling. Some people want him to allow new drilling, while others say he must keep Labour's promise not to issue any new licences. A licence is an official permission to drill for oil or gas.

Labour's 2024 election manifesto said the party would not approve new North Sea drilling licences. The manifesto argued that new drilling would not lower energy bills, would not improve energy security, and would speed up climate change. Mr Burnham promised to honour those commitments, but reports say he may be willing to change course. That possibility has alarmed many supporters of the original policy.

Senior Green Party figures spoke out on Saturday, urging Mr Burnham not to break what they called a key Labour promise. Green MP Adrian Ramsay said that heatwaves, wildfires, and extreme weather are already hurting people across the country. He argued that approving new oil drilling would be the wrong response to the climate crisis. He also said new drilling would do nothing to bring down energy bills for families.

Energy industry leaders and trade union bosses have been pushing hard for new North Sea licences. They published an open letter to Labour MPs arguing that UK-produced oil is cleaner than imported oil, because shipping oil from other countries creates extra emissions. They also said North Sea drilling protects British jobs and brings money into the UK economy. Enrique Cornejo, from Offshore Energies UK, called it 'common sense' to use the UK's own oil resources.

Critics of new drilling say these arguments do not hold up. Oil from the North Sea is sold on a global market, which means extra UK production does not automatically lead to lower bills for British households. The UK already exports most of the oil it produces, so there is no guarantee new oil would even stay in the country. Opponents also say North Sea oil is expensive to extract compared with oil from other regions.

Environmental group Greenpeace UK said allowing new drilling would be 'a massive own goal.' Programme director Amy Cameron said scientists are clear that the world must rapidly phase out fossil fuels — things like oil and gas — to avoid dangerous levels of climate change. She said new drilling would not lower bills, would not create many jobs, and would not make the UK's energy supply more secure. She called it 'sheer folly' to pursue more drilling from ageing oilfields.

The North Sea debate has caused conflict throughout Sir Keir Starmer's time as prime minister. Last month, the Conservative Party won a by-election in Scotland — a special vote to fill one empty seat in parliament — partly by supporting more North Sea drilling. This showed that the issue can win votes in some parts of the country. It also put more pressure on Mr Burnham to take a clear position.

The North Sea decision could influence who Mr Burnham picks as Chancellor, the minister in charge of the country's finances. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, a strong supporter of the no-new-licences policy, is seen as a leading candidate. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is also reported to be in the running. Mr Burnham said on Friday he had not yet decided who would get the job.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised Mr Burnham for not announcing his plans before taking office. She called his comments 'airy-fairy stuff' and said he was 'a people pleaser' who would not make tough decisions. Mr Burnham has said he wants to work with other parties and stop political 'point scoring.' Mrs Badenoch replied that she would keep challenging him and would not give him 'a blank cheque.'