Parties rethink old policies as Labour shifts on North Sea drilling
Robert Hutton’s column uses the idea of political “housekeeping” to describe parties discarding old policies and arguments after a fractious week. Labour’s move towards new North Sea oil and gas drilling has unsettled its opponents, while the changing positions leave the political debate increasingly focused on whether Margaret Thatcher was right.
The article says Kemi Badenoch is distancing herself from the Conservative record, including taxes raised under the last government, despite having served in its cabinet. It also mocks Reform for continuing to promote divisive ideas about race and religion, citing comments by MP Danny Kruger about Muslims. The supplied text ends mid-sentence, so it does not include the full account of those remarks.
In short
- Labour has dropped its opposition to new North Sea drilling.
- Badenoch is distancing herself from her party’s record in government.
- Hutton criticises Reform’s rhetoric on race and religion.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of Labour’s shift can argue that allowing new North Sea drilling may help protect energy security, jobs and public revenue while the transition to cleaner energy continues. More broadly, parties should be able to revise policies when circumstances change rather than remain bound by past positions.
The case against
Critics can argue that approving new drilling risks prolonging reliance on fossil fuels and weakening climate commitments, while offering limited long-term energy security if production and demand are changing. They may also see parties shedding past positions as evasive, making it harder for voters to judge records and trust current promises.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “What essentials to keep, what rubbish to get rid of? Burnham, Badenoch, Farage don’t know either | Robert Hutton”.