Several Labour MPs warn Jackdaw approval could undermine climate progress

More than a dozen Labour MPs have expressed opposition to the government’s approval of the controversial Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea.

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh approved exploration yesterday, in a move that is expected to increase domestic gas production by around six percent and support the UK’s gas supply.

However, several Labour MPs have criticised the decision, warning that the approval of drilling would undermine the government’s climate commitments.

In a cross-party letter, 17 Labour MPs pointed to severe droughts and wildfires over the summer to highlight how the country is feeling the effects of the climate crisis – and urged the government to “resist short-sighted calls to abandon progress towards net zero” by rejecting Jackdaw, as well as exploitation of the Rosebank oil field.

The letter said: “Rosebank and Jackdaw would lock us into a costly model of energy supply without delivering the economic benefits its proponents claim. Jackdaw is expected to create just 27 direct full-time jobs, while the fossil fuel companies behind both projects will profit from massive taxpayer-funded subsidies. Analysis has revealed the resulting climate damage from this fossil fuel extraction would outweigh any economic gains.”

Richard Burgon, one of the signatories, described the announcement as “an absolutely terrible decision” and said: “It will do nothing to lower people’s energy bills or improve our energy security. Investing in renewable energy is the way to do that.

“The government has got this badly wrong. It must not repeat the same mistake with Rosebank.”

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Norwich South MP Clive Lewis, who did not sign the letter, told ITV’s Robert Peston that the approval of Jackdaw is “not great”, but said that compared to Rosebank “it’s a drop in the ocean”.

He said: “The question now for people like me – is this rolling the pitch to say we’re a pragmatic government, we can do the things that are necessary; however, we’re not going to go with Rosebank because it is of a different order of magnitude to Jackdaw.

“No one wanted Jackdaw, but they [the climate movement] are not going to get as excited about Jackdaw, nor is the public or the campaigns around it, as they will do about Rosebank.”

Explaining the government’s decision, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “It just doesn’t make sense only to import oil and gas from abroad when we could be considering the responsible use of our own resources here at home.

“The Jackdaw decision will boost our energy security, protect British jobs, add £3 billion to our economy and heat homes across the country, starting this winter.”

Despite opposition from some MPs, several other members of the PLP expressed their support for the government’s decision.

Among them was former Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who said: “In an increasingly unstable world, this is a move in the right direction to give us more control over vital resources.”

It is reported that Fahnbulleh is minded to reject extraction of the Rosebank oil field, with a decision expected before the end of the year.

Full list of Labour MPs to publicly oppose Jackdaw

• Paula Barker
• Apsana Begum
• Richard Burgon
• Neil Duncan-Jordan
• Cat Eccles
• Clive Efford
• Chris Hinchliff
• Afzal Khan
• Brian Leishman
• Clive Lewis
• Rachael Maskell
• John McDonnell
• Abtisam Mohamed
• Bell Ribeiro-Addy
• Cat Smith
• Alex Sobel
• John Trickett
• Nadia Whittome

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