{"id":2637833,"date":"2026-07-30T13:01:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uk-prime-minister-hints-at-approving-north-sea-drilling-after-trump-pressure\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T13:05:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:05:47","slug":"uk-prime-minister-hints-at-approving-north-sea-drilling-after-trump-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uk-prime-minister-hints-at-approving-north-sea-drilling-after-trump-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"UK prime minister hints at approving North Sea drilling after Trump pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fuk-prime-minister-hints-at-approving-north-sea-drilling-after-trump-pressure%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2637833&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>British Prime Minister andy Burnham has shown openness to increasing oil drilling in the north Sea, a move that contrasts with his party\u2019s official goal to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-approves-plan-for-carbon-neutrality-by-2045\/\" title=\"California Approves Plan for Carbon Neutrality by 2045\">reduce fossil fuel reliance<\/a> and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This shift comes amid speculation and claims, notably from former President Donald Trump, suggesting burnham would lift restrictions on new drilling licenses. Although Burnham has not formally released details about his energy plans, he acknowledged the strategic importance of the North Sea and indicated a pragmatic approach, recognizing the region as a valuable resource for the UK. <\/p>\n<p>Previous court rulings have invalidated some North Sea license approvals due to environmental concerns, but developers like Shell and Equinor are still permitted to proceed with certain activities. The UK government has also increased taxes on oil and gas profits, indicating a complex stance that balances environmental commitments with energy needs. Industry advocates argue that expanded drilling could reduce reliance on imports and bolster the UK\u2019s energy independence, possibly unlocking additional oil reserves estimated to be 2-3 billion barrels by 2050.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/united-kingdom\/\">British<\/a> Prime Minister <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andy-burnham\/\">Andy Burnham<\/a> has expressed an openness to approving more <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oil\/\">oil<\/a> drilling in the North Sea, after President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> claimed the new British leader would fully lift restrictions for the region.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the days before Burnham took office, rumors were circulating that he would lift the United Kingdom\u2019s ban on new drilling licenses for the North Sea, breaking with his party\u2019s efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4669250\/uk-prime-minister-hints-approve-north-sea-drilling-after-trump-pressure\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>UK prime minister hints at approving North Sea drilling after Trump pressure<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4658389\/big-beautiful-bill-energy-tax-credits-party-feud-republicans\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>How the Big Beautiful Bill became law: Energy tax credits spark intra-party feud<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4665641\/trump-administration-candidate-states-nuclear-waste-storage\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump administration selects five states as candidates for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-obbba-became-law-energy-tax-credits-spark-intra-party-feud\/\" title=\"How OBBBA became law: ... tax credits spark intra-party feud\">radioactive nuclear waste\u00a0storage<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While speculation has been further propped up by Trump, Burnham has not yet released his energy agenda or any details as to how he plans to approach North Sea drilling. On Thursday, however, he acknowledged the region holds a crucial \u201cresource\u201d for the nation, and said he plans to take a \u201cpragmatic approach\u201d regarding it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen people are struggling, we can\u2019t ignore that,\u201d he said, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2026-07-30\/burnham-says-won-t-ignore-north-sea-in-hint-at-more-uk-drilling?srnd=homepage-americas\">according<\/a> to <em>Bloomberg<\/em>. \u201cHence me indicating that to the president.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Burnham was referring to a conversation he had with Trump shortly after taking office last week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While official readouts of the conversation did not reveal if the two had discussed the North Sea, Trump this week claimed Burnham said he was going to \u201copen up the North Sea.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you use the North Sea, the U.K. will be a really rich country,\u201d Trump said from the Oval Office. \u201cI cannot get the point across. The new gentleman, when I spoke to him, said he\u2019s going to open up the North Sea.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Allies of the new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/who-could-replace-keir-starmer-if-he-steps-down-as-uk-prime-minister\/\" title=\"Who could replace Keir Starmer if he steps down as ... prime minister?\">prime minister denied<\/a> that he will overhaul the ban on new licenses, with deputy party leader Lucy Powell telling the BBC that Burnham \u201chas been clear he stands by the policies in our manifesto.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.K. aims to hit net-zero emissions by 2050 and has moved to reduce fossil fuel development by reducing incentives for drilling and blocking projects. In 2024, the Labour government committed to not permitting any new oil and gas drilling licenses in the North Sea.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, however, there has been an acknowledgment among ministers that fossil fuel production will continue to play a critical role in supporting energy demand. Last summer, the U.K. government released new guidance related to environmental impact assessments for offshore oil and gas developers that notably left the door open to development.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some reports have suggested that Burnham may focus primarily on a pair of drilling licenses previously issued for the North Sea that have been caught up in court. Early last year, the Court of Session in Edinburgh overturned the license approvals for the Jackdaw and Rosebank gasfield projects issued in 2022 and 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time, the court ruled the approvals were unlawful and failed to fully assess the environmental impacts of the projects, such as the carbon emissions generated by the burning of any oil and gas produced. As part of the ruling, however, the court allowed the developers of the two projects, Shell and Equinor, to continue work, such as drilling wells, as the government considered any oil and gas production in the regions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some have said Burnham may allow the Jackdaw and Rosebank projects to move forward, while keeping the overall moratorium on new licenses in place.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.K. government has also sought to suppress oil and gas development by increasing taxes on oil and gas profits from 35% to 38%, bringing the total tax rate for firms operating in the North Sea to around 78%, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/click1.trk-washingtonexaminer.com\/vjkvrcqhppynmyrpnkqhknqzbhnckjtjbdhbyqkvfhkfmk_hbcqcsmwmnn.html?a=Daily+on+Energy+072925&#038;b=07%2F29%2F2025&#038;c=WEX_Daily+on+Energy&#038;d=25486800&#038;e=74099866aa2c0d01e9f38050cb25f7dae70ca665c8be98d6137212ccf7a6e60b\">according<\/a> to the <em>Financial Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-on-energy\/4655821\/daily-on-energy-united-kingdom-prime-minister-cave-trump-pro-drilling-agenda\/\">WILL THE UNITED KINGDOM\u2019S NEW PRIME MINISTER CAVE TO TRUMP\u2019S PRO-DRILLING AGENDA?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fossil fuel lobbyists have said that increased oil and gas drilling will dramatically reduce the U.K.\u2019s reliance on foreign sources of energy. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In March 2025, the Offshore Energies UK <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/click1.trk-washingtonexaminer.com\/qpswncjgssdthdnstvjgvtjrqgtcvpbpqygqdjvwmgvmhg_hbcqcsmwmnn.html?a=Daily+on+Energy+072925&#038;b=07%2F29%2F2025&#038;c=WEX_Daily+on+Energy&#038;d=25486800&#038;e=74099866aa2c0d01e9f38050cb25f7dae70ca665c8be98d6137212ccf7a6e60b\">estimated<\/a> that an additional 2 to 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent could be available in the North Sea by 2050. Any significant increase in oil production in the region could provide the U.K. with a greater competitive advantage as it looks to reduce reliance on areas such as the Middle East.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Burnham open to North Sea drilling amid Trump claims<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3452,"featured_media":2637834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-oyuzw6lpy-1785428523334-e1785429679506.jpg?1785414149&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[36468,83442,34314,32370,37154],"class_list":["post-2637833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-energy-policy","tag-north-sea-drilling","tag-prime-minister","tag-trump-influence","tag-uk-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-oyuzw6lpy-1785428523334-e1785429679506.jpg?1785414149&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3452"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2637833"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2637837,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637833\/revisions\/2637837"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2637834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2637833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2637833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2637833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}