Burnham ‘running scared’ of the Greens as he delays crucial North Sea drilling approval until after two sides face off for Starmer’s old seat
Andy Burnham has been accused of "running scared" of the Green Party after reportedly delaying approval of North Sea drilling at the Jackdaw oil field until after the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. He had been expected to lift the drilling moratorium at next week's Trade Unions Congress conference, but the decision has apparently been pushed back until after the 8 October vote for Sir Keir Starmer's former seat, where Labour faces a strong challenge from the Greens.
Shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie accused Burnham of putting party interests before the national interest, warning that gas from Jackdaw could be feeding into the grid by winter if approved without further delay, while fellow Conservative Harriet Cross branded the postponement "pathetic". Green leader Zack Polanski, who won 84 per cent of the vote to become his party's by-election candidate, said the climate crisis was "very much on the ballot" in the contest, disputing Labour's jobs argument by claiming Jackdaw would create only around 27 jobs. Labour has held the seat since 1983 but is under pressure after Green gains in May's London council elections.
In short
- Burnham reportedly delays North Sea Jackdaw drilling decision until after by-election
- Tories accuse Labour of prioritising politics over energy security
- Greens' Zack Polanski says climate is central issue in the by-election
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of approving Jackdaw argue that developing domestic gas supplies could strengthen energy security and potentially add gas to the grid by winter, reducing reliance on imports. They may see a decision delayed for electoral reasons as putting party strategy ahead of the national interest, while stressing that energy policy should weigh jobs and reliable supply alongside climate goals.
The case against
Opponents argue that expanding North Sea drilling would prolong reliance on fossil fuels when climate action requires moving towards cleaner energy, and that the claimed employment benefits may be limited. They may also view the timing of the decision as politically sensitive because voters should be able to judge the parties’ differing climate policies before the by-election.
Explained simply
Jackdaw is a proposed gas field in the North Sea. The project needs government approval to begin drilling, and a moratorium has kept it from going ahead. Supporters say developing the field could add gas to the UK supply; opponents raise concerns about its climate impact.
Andy Burnham is a senior Labour politician, while Andrew Bowie and Harriet Cross are Conservative MPs. Zack Polanski leads the Green Party, which is challenging Labour in the by-election for Holborn and St Pancras, a seat Sir Keir Starmer previously held. The debate links energy policy to competing claims about jobs, gas supplies and climate change.
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