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 expanded tie-backs near existing fields. The fields are operated by Adura, a Shell-Equinor joint venture. Previous approvals were overturned by courts, but public consultations launched Thursday may delay formal approval. The move would break with current energy secretary Ed Miliband's resistance on net-zero grounds. Supporters, including Unite union leader Sharon Graham and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, cite energy security and jobs, while environmentalists and Labour's left oppose it. The final decision rests on Burnham's choice to replace Miliband.
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