North Sea: Prime Minister risks becoming Andy Burn-them on day one

Climate campaigners say the new Prime Minister must not “immediate cave to fossil fuel company lobbying” by approving new oil and gas drilling.

They added that the Prime Minister risks being known as “Andy Burn-them” if he was to green light new fossil fuel burning on his first day in the job.

Campaigners highlighted how the Jackdaw gasfield would create just 27 full time jobs if approved and how the head of the International Energy Agency said that new fields “would not change much for the UK’s energy security, nor would they change the price of oil and gas.”

Fossil fuel burning is the main driver of climate breakdown. Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh was on fire again overnight and a wildfire has burned in the Cairngorms for over four days. These are the type of extreme weather and man-made disasters that climate heating makes more likely and more dangerous.

In June 2025, whilst Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham backed an anti-fossil fuel treaty which calls for an to end coal, oil, and gas and to “hold polluters accountable.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s oil and gas campaigns manager Rosie Hampton said:

“It would set a terrifying precedent if one of the first acts of the new Prime Minister was caving in to oil company lobbyists by approving new drilling in the North Sea.

“Any oil or gas extracted belongs to companies like Shell and Equinor who will sell it to the highest international bidder, whilst continuing pay as little tax as possible and cause ever more climate destruction. 

“Burnham might as well be Burn-them because that’s what the true impact of this decision will be, more fossil fuel that overheats the planet, ignites deadly wildfires and puts millions of people in danger.”

“New fossil fuels can never be compatible with our climate commitments. When you realise it is the same culprits who are causing record breaking heatwaves and soaring bills, it is infuriating that we are not moving faster to transition to renewable energy.”

“Greedy fossil fuel giants have made obscene profits in recent years and these decision would encourage them to keep on ripping off households and undermine the transition. Instead, we need to build an energy system that brings down bills, is based on renewables and run in the public interest.”