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Kemi demands Andy Burnham stop bowing to ‘Net Zero zealots’ like Ed Miliband and back North Sea oil and gas drilling
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to abandon what she describes as deference to "Net Zero zealots" such as Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, urging him instead to support new North Sea oil and gas drilling. The intervention reflects the Conservatives' continuing push to position themselves against Labour's net zero policies, framing the issue as one of energy security and jobs rather than purely environmental strategy, particularly in regions with links to the oil and gas industry.
The article centres on Badenoch's criticism of Burnham, whom she accuses of aligning too closely with Miliband's climate agenda at the expense of North Sea energy production and the jobs that depend on it. She frames her call as a challenge to Labour figures to break from what she characterises as an overly zealous approach to net zero targets, though the piece does not detail a specific response from Burnham or Miliband at the time of publication.
In short
- Badenoch urges Burnham to back North Sea oil and gas drilling.
- She accuses Labour figures like Miliband of "Net Zero zealotry".
- Row highlights ongoing Tory-Labour clash over UK energy policy.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of new North Sea drilling argue that domestic oil and gas can strengthen energy security, sustain skilled jobs and support communities linked to the industry. They may also contend that production will continue to be needed during the transition, so relying more on domestic supply could be preferable to importing fuel while pursuing net zero goals.
The case against
Opponents argue that opening new fields would do little to shield consumers from global fuel prices, while risking investment and attention being diverted from cleaner energy. They may also stress that meeting climate commitments requires a managed decline in fossil fuel use, and that workers and affected communities should be supported through that transition.
Explained simply
Britain's political parties are divided over energy strategy, with this becoming a key point of disagreement between the Conservative opposition and the Labour government. The debate focuses on whether to support new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea or to transition faster to renewable energy as part of reaching net zero carbon emissions targets.
The central figures are Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, and Ed Miliband, Labour's Energy Secretary. Andy Burnham is the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, a region with historical ties to energy industries.
This matters because energy policy affects employment in fossil fuel industries and communities dependent on those jobs, whilst also shaping Britain's ability to meet its climate commitments. The disagreement reflects real tensions between economic interests and environmental goals.