Andy Burnham on collision course with Trump over North Sea oil policy

Labour leader Andy Burnham is already on a collision course with Donald Trump, even before he becomes prime minister.

Burnham will officially become the UK's seventh prime minister since 2016 later today, after Keir Starmer tenders his resignation to King Charles.

In his first address to the nation, Burnham is expected to pledge giving people "more breathing room," making tackling the cost of living and bringing down energy bills his top priorities.

North Sea Oil Policy

Burnham has hinted at giving the green light to more oil and gas extraction from the North Sea. However, he will not break Labour's election manifesto pledge blocking new exploration licences.

That position would inevitably anger Trump, who yesterday insisted that Burnham would break with Starmer by "opening up" the North Sea.

Trump's Response

In a post on his Truth Social account on Sunday, the US president wrote:

"The People of Aberdeen, in Scotland, are dancing in the streets because the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has stated that he will be opening up, all the way, the invaluable North Sea Oil!

>

"It is one of the Greatest Sources of quality Oil on Earth, has hundreds of years of Capacity left, with much not even found yet, and will make the United Kingdom, from a Poverty Stricken Disaster, to one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World!

>

"Britain pays Norway Billions of Dollars a year to buy its Oil, which they get from a less valuable part of the North Sea — How ridiculous is that!"

Trump also claimed that Britain would move wind turbines near Aberdeen:

"Word is that the UK is going to move the old and horrible looking windmills, which loom over and destroy the City of Aberdeen. That will be a big day for the Country, and will be very much appreciated by everybody. Such great potential in the UK, but it all starts with OPENING NORTH SEA OIL."

Background

Starmer's approach to the North Sea was one of the reasons his relations with Trump collapsed during his time in office. The US president was a regular critic of the outgoing PM's refusal to allow new oil and gas fields in the North Sea to be explored, as part of his government's determination to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week's biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what's going on at Westminster.