Andy Burnham admits Britain 'cannot ignore' North Sea oil drilling amid cost-of-living crisis

Andy Burnham has admitted North Sea oil was a resource Britain "can't ignore" amid a cost-of-living crisis.

The comments from the Prime Minister comes after Donald Trump, responding to a question form GB News, said Mr Burnham had promised him he would "open up North Sea oil".

"If he does that, you're going to be a wealthy country if he does it reasonably," the President said on Wednesday.

When asked about his conversation with Mr Trump, the Prime Miniser said: "I indicated in the phone call that I would take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that is my intention.

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"There is a resource there. When people are struggling we can't ignore that."

Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride has now urged the Prime Minister to "get Britain drilling!"

Under the Labour manifesto, new North Sea drilling licences cannot be issued, but oil field Rosebank and gas field Jackdaw received approval under the previous Conservative government before facing legal challenges.

Sir Mel said the Prime Minister should approve licences for both North Sea sites imminently.

He told the Daily Mail: "'If Burnham was really serious about tackling the cost of living and getting energy bills down, he would immediately approve the Jackdaw and Rosebank sites and end the ban on new oil and gas licences.

"That would be the first step towards ending Labour's Net Zero madness that is driving up costs for families and businesses and holding our economy back."

Whitehall sources expect Jackdaw's licence to be approved and begin supplying British homes this winter.

Decision on Rosebank - which Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband once compared to "climate vandalism" - hangs in the balance.

Ministers are said to be considering industry requests to ease the windfall tax on energy profits, blamed for holding back investment in Britain.

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Opening up North Sea oil has been urged by trade union bosses and business leaders in an open letter sent to Labour MPs earlier this month.

Elizabeth de Jong, chief executive of the trade body Fuel Industry UK, said: "The UK continues to need fuels.

"It makes sense to maximise the value created at home by supporting refineries and North Sea production. Domestic manufacturing sustains high-skilled jobs, strengthens energy security and underpins our industrial future."

And GMB Union chief Gary Smith said: "We will need oil and gas for decades.

"Increasing our reliance on energy from overseas for the essential elements that power our economy and keep the country going leaves us worryingly exposed."

Unite, the second-largest union in Britain, has previously urged the Government to use the resource, warning the Government "to not let go of one rope before having hold of another".

But Green Party leader Zack Polanski said the Prime Minister should not drill for oil while the "country is burning".

"The first duty of any prime minister is to keep the people of this country safe – and right now people are feeling scared," he said.

"Allowing new oil and gas drilling will worsen the climate breakdown, putting more lives at risk and doing untold damage to our economy."

And National Trust boss Hilary McGrady urged Mr Burnham to "leave fossil fuels in the ground".

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