# Prime Minister urged to drop ban on oil and gas drilling as BP puts North Sea business up for sale

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/prime-minister-urged-to-drop-ban-on-oil-and-gas-drilling-as-bp-puts-north-sea-business-up-for-sale/
- Published: 2026-07-31T18:20:30+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-01T00:34:40+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16020585/Prime-Minister-urged-drop-ban-oil-gas-drilling-BP-puts-North-Sea-business-sale.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- BP is selling its North Sea business after 60 years.
- The division employs 1,100 people.
- Critics blame taxes, uncertainty and the drilling ban.

## Summary

BP has put its North Sea oil and gas business up for sale, ending six decades of production in UK waters and placing 1,100 jobs in question. Critics have urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to reverse Labour’s ban on new drilling licences, arguing that the move highlights pressure on the industry and risks to energy-sector employment.

The company said its North Sea division would be better placed within another business. Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce blamed policy uncertainty, punitive taxation and conflicting government signals, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for new oil and gas licences to be allowed.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.