Burnham to Approve North Sea Oil and Gas Drilling in Policy Blitz
Incoming UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to announce new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea within days of taking office, according to reports. His team has asked the civil service to prepare approvals for the Jackdaw gas field and Rosebank oil field off Scotland, along with expansion of tie-backs near existing fields. The fields are operated by Adura, a Shell-Equinor joint venture. Both projects remain in legal limbo after previous approvals were overturned, but public consultations launched Thursday may delay formal approval. The move signals a policy shift from current energy secretary Ed Miliband's net-zero agenda, driven by calls from Scottish Labour MPs and energy security concerns amid Middle East conflict. The decision will likely draw criticism from environmentalists but support from trade unions and business. The final decision rests on Burnham's choice to replace Miliband as energy secretary.
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