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Burnham set to close North Sea to new oil and gas drilling
Andy Burnham is set to back legislation that would prevent new oil and gas exploration licences in the North Sea, making the current moratorium harder for future governments to overturn. The Energy Independence Bill is intended to fulfil Labour’s manifesto pledge and would require a parliamentary majority to repeal.
The bill would not affect the already licensed Rosebank field or the recently approved Jackdaw project. Ministers say transitional energy certificates could allow more production from existing fields, potentially unlocking about 60 million barrels of oil and supporting hundreds of jobs. Burnham says the measures would strengthen energy security and help lower bills, while a Conservative critic argues they would increase reliance on imports.
In short
- Burnham is expected to back a ban on new North Sea exploration licences.
- Existing licences, including Rosebank, would remain unaffected.
- Ministers say existing fields could yield 60 million barrels.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that ending new exploration would give a clear, durable signal to invest in renewable energy and reduce the risk of locking the UK into further fossil-fuel development. They say existing licences and transitional certificates can sustain some production and jobs while the shift takes place, and that building domestic clean energy can strengthen long-term energy security and help bring bills down.
The case against
Critics argue that restricting new North Sea licences could reduce future domestic supply while the UK continues to need oil and gas, increasing reliance on imports and exposure to international price shocks. They contend that continued exploration could support jobs and provide a more secure supply during the transition, and that making the policy harder to reverse limits future governments’ ability to respond to changing energy needs.
Explained simply
The North Sea has been a major source of oil and gas for the UK for decades. Companies need government licences to explore for new reserves and develop fields; existing licences allow projects to continue under their terms.
Andy Burnham is a Labour politician, and Labour has pledged to stop issuing licences for new exploration. The proposed Energy Independence Bill would put that policy into law, so a future government would need Parliament’s support to reverse it.
The proposal concerns new exploration, rather than every project already under way: Rosebank and Jackdaw have licences or approval to proceed. The debate centres on how the UK balances domestic energy supplies and jobs with its plans to move towards cleaner energy, and what that could mean for reliance on imported fuel and household bills.