Burnham faces a divided Labour Party over two North Sea oil and gas approvals
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has not yet ruled on the Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea fields, a decision officials have been expected to make since August. Campaigners want refusal, while the opposition, industry and Trump cite jobs, bills and energy security.
The Board Room · Leadership desk
Three figures. Rosebank reportedly could produce at least 300 million barrels of oil, up to 500 million, within about 25 years. Shell predicts Jackdaw can produce around 6.5% of UK gas production at its peak. Conservatives say Jackdaw could heat 1.4 million UK homes this winter if approved.
- at least 300 million barrels Rosebank oil capacity, reported, claim 3 up to 500 million; within about 25 years
- 6.5% Jackdaw peak share of UK gas, around, per Shell, claim 19 Shell is a co-developer of Jackdaw
- 1.4 million homes UK homes Jackdaw could heat this winter, per Conservatives, claim 20 if approved
| Figure | Value | Note | Claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosebank oil capacity, reported, at least | 300 million barrels | up to 500 million; within about 25 years | 3 |
| Jackdaw peak share of UK gas, around, per Shell | 6.5% | Shell is a co-developer of Jackdaw | 19 |
| UK homes Jackdaw could heat this winter, per Conservatives | 1.4 million homes | if approved | 20 |
What happened
- Rosebank, 80 miles north of the Shetland Islands, is estimated to be the largest undeveloped oil and gas field in the UK.
- Shell, a co-developer of the Jackdaw gas field, predicts it can supply around 6.5% of UK gas production at its peak.
- The former Conservative government approved both sites, and an Edinburgh court ruled last year that the approvals were unlawful after a challenge from Greenpeace and another nonprofit.
- Almost 600 climate and health experts wrote to the government last month arguing that approval would breach the UK's national and international climate commitments.
Why it matters
- decision Burnham has to rule against part of his own party either way: some in Labour say approval reneges on the 2024 pledge on new exploration licences, and others disagree.
- contradiction Supporters say approval would cut household bills, while critics say new fields would change little because international markets set prices. Both sides cite the same fields for opposite conclusions.
- cost The sites were scheduled to start operations later this year, so a long wait pushes back the Jackdaw gas supply the Conservatives want.
- exposure Rosebank carries a separate exposure through Delek Group: activists say the Israeli company profited from West Bank settlements, and Green Party leader Zach Polanski has asked how the UK can keep production revenue from financing them.
Critics start from volume. They say Britain's North Sea reserves are small and that new developments would raise carbon emissions without adding to energy security [8]. By the estimate of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, a London nonprofit, more than 90% of the oil and gas the North Sea is likely to yield has already come out of the ground [10]. That leaves under 10% [17]. Rosebank's reported 300 million to 500 million barrels over about 25 years [3] averages 12 million to 20 million barrels a year [16], if output is even. Jackdaw is shorter: production there was expected to last under a decade [4].
In our view the volume argument speaks to energy security. It does not speak to jobs. Supporters say further drilling is vital for protecting jobs and will not make a significant difference to emissions, and some argue that domestic production emits less carbon than imports [14]. The wire report does not include an estimate of the jobs at stake, so that half of the dispute cannot be weighed from this record. The Conservatives, who have pushed for the developments, offer a household figure instead: they said Jackdaw could start heating 1.4 million homes in the UK this winter if approved [20].
Campaigners argue on climate and on law. Victoria Smith, a Fossil Free London activist who protested on Tuesday, said drilling for new oil and gas now "would just be a wild decision, completely reckless by this government" [11]. The judge in last year's Edinburgh case put the legal point in a single sentence. "The public interest in authorities acting lawfully and the private interest of members of the public in climate change outweigh the private interest of the developers," Judge Andrew Stewart ruled at the time [7].
What to watch
- Whether Burnham rules on Rosebank and Jackdaw together or separately, and on what date.
- Whether Greenpeace or another group goes back to court after a ruling, as they did against the earlier approvals.
- Whether the government answers the question about Delek Group revenue and the West Bank settlements.
Clarity's read
What the record supports and how the coverage leans. The claims behind it follow.
Reality
- Evidence55
- Adoption
- Insufficient
- Hype gap
- Insufficient
- Incentives60
- Confidence55
Claim ledger
Ranked by verification strength, evidence, and original report placement.
- [1]
British officials have been expected to make a decision on Rosebank and Jackdaw since August, when public consultations on the two projects closed.
- [2]
Rosebank is located 80 miles north of Scotland's Shetland Islands and is estimated to be the largest undeveloped oil and gas field in the UK.
- [3]
Rosebank reportedly has capacity to produce 300 million to 500 million barrels of oil within about 25 years.
- [4]
Jackdaw is a gas field 150 miles east of Aberdeen, and production there was expected to last under a decade.
- [5]
The Rosebank and Jackdaw sites were scheduled to start operations later this year.
- [6]
The former Conservative government previously approved production at both sites; a court in Edinburgh ruled last year that the approvals were unlawful, after a legal challenge from Greenpeace and another nonprofit.
- [7]
Judge Andrew Stewart ruled: "The public interest in authorities acting lawfully and the private interest of members of the public in climate change outweigh the private interest of the developers."
- [8]
Critics argue that the oil and gas reserves in Britain's North Sea holdings are small, that new developments would increase carbon emissions, and that they would fail to contribute to Britain's energy security.
- [9]
Critics argue the North Sea reserves would make little difference to energy bills because prices are decided by international markets.
- [10]
Analysts at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, a London-based nonprofit, estimated that more than 90% of the oil and gas likely to be produced from the North Sea has already been extracted.
- [11]
Victoria Smith, a Fossil Free London activist protesting on Tuesday, said drilling for new oil and gas now "would just be a wild decision, completely reckless by this government".
- [12]
Almost 600 climate and health experts wrote a joint letter to the government last month arguing that approving the projects would breach the UK's national and international climate commitments.
- [13]
Opposition politicians, the oil and gas industry and US President Donald Trump have pressed Burnham to approve the fields, arguing it would protect jobs, cut household bills and boost Britain's energy security.
- [14]
Supporters of further drilling say it will not make a significant difference to emissions and is vital for protecting jobs; some also argue that domestic production will result in less carbon emissions than importing oil and gas.
- [15]
The governing Labour Party is split on the issue; some warned that going ahead would renege on the party's 2024 manifesto pledge not to issue new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, while others disagree.
- [16]
Rosebank's reported 300 million to 500 million barrels over about 25 years averages 12 million to 20 million barrels a year, assuming even output.
- [17]
Under 10% of the oil and gas likely to be produced from the North Sea remains to be extracted.
- [18]
Critics have raised concerns about Rosebank's links to Israeli company Delek Group, which activists say profited from Israeli settlements in the West Bank; Green Party leader Zach Polanski is among those asking how the UK can ensure revenue from any production did not finance the settlements.
- [19]
The Shell Group, a co-developer of Jackdaw, predicts the field can produce around 6.5% of the UK's gas production at its peak.
- [20]
The opposition Conservative Party, which has pushed for the developments to go ahead, said the Jackdaw field could start heating 1.4 million homes in the UK this winter if approved.
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Sources
1 independent publisher whose own reporting we read for this story.
- abcnews.comUK's Burnham weighs approval for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea
1 article · October 13, 2026
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Topics
- UK energy policyFollow
- Climate policyFollow
- North Sea oil and gasFollow
Entities
- Rosebank oil fieldFollow
- Jackdaw gas fieldFollow
- Andy BurnhamFollow
- Shell GroupFollow
- GreenpeaceFollow
- Delek GroupFollow
- Energy and Climate Intelligence UnitFollow
- Labour PartyFollow
- Donald TrumpFollow