A decision on approving the Jackdaw gasfield off Aberdeen is expected to be delayed until later this autumn, with the Greens accusing Labour of deliberately withholding its position ahead of the Holborn and St Pancras byelection on 8 October, where Green leader Zack Polanski is standing against Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali. Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh had been expected to give her recommendation next week, but Whitehall sources say it won't come before parliament rises for conference recess on Tuesday, meaning the announcement will likely also miss Labour's conference in Liverpool, sparing Andy Burnham potential controversy there too.

Polanski has accused Labour of "dishonesty and betrayal", saying the government intends to allow new drilling while hiding it during the byelection campaign. Shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie has written to the prime minister accusing Labour of putting party interests ahead of the country's. A parallel decision on the Rosebank oilfield is also pending; both projects, which industry says could supply 10% of UK oil and gas output at peak, are opposed by environmental campaigners who estimate they could cause up to £336bn in economic damage from carbon pollution, while Donald Trump has urged the government to approve them.