Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Conservative Party, has sharply criticized Andy Burnham for delaying decisions on key energy projects, accusing him of failing to act on promises related to the United Kingdom’s oil and gas sector. Badenoch’s comments focus particularly on the postponed approval of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields in the North Sea, developments that had been anticipated to receive government authorization in the near term.
Initially, expectations were that Prime Minister Burnham would announce the approval of new drilling licenses at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) event in Brighton, with speculation also suggesting a potential visit to Aberdeen to support the announcement. However, plans were reportedly canceled amid concerns about the political climate, especially the closely contested Holborn and St Pancras by-election, where Labour faces strong competition from the Green Party.
Badenoch argued that political considerations in environmentally conscious constituencies have caused Burnham to delay a decision that could otherwise benefit thousands of workers in Scotland and across Britain. She noted that the previous Conservative government had approved the Rosebank and Jackdaw licenses but faced legal challenges from environmental groups, which slowed development. Following Labour’s return to power under Keir Starmer, a prolonged consultation process further delayed progress on these projects.
According to Badenoch, the delay prevents gas from the Jackdaw field from potentially supplying approximately 1.4 million homes by winter, thereby extending reliance on higher-cost imports from countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. She also highlighted the potential revenue gains from domestic oil and gas production, estimating additional tax income of £1.4 billion by the end of the current parliamentary term, which, she argued, could help reduce energy bills.
Badenoch advocates abandoning the government’s Net Zero 2050 targets in favor of an approach focused on domestic energy production, regulatory reform, and the removal of levies that increase consumer costs. She framed energy security as a matter of national and economic security and stated that delays in approving major oil and gas projects threaten these priorities.
The criticism comes amid recent by-election results, where Burnham secured victory in Makerfield for Labour, while Douglas Lumsden won an Aberdeen South seat for the Conservatives. Badenoch characterized the Aberdeen South result as indicative of support from those employed in the oil and gas sector and urged Burnham to reconsider stalled approvals to support industry jobs and address the challenges of deindustrialization and rising energy prices.