Politics · 19 July 2026
Andy Burnham urged to keep Labour promise against new North Sea drilling
Stan Shebs via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Reports say Andy Burnham is open to backing more North Sea oil and gas projects when he becomes prime minister on Monday, despite Labour's 2024 manifesto opposing new licences. Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay and Greenpeace UK warned extra drilling would not cut bills and would worsen climate change. Energy industry leaders and trade unions argue producing UK oil and gas would reduce imports and support jobs.
Reported by Evening Standard · How we write briefs