Andy Burnham will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea when he becomes prime minister on Monday, the BBC has been told — a move that would break a central promise of Labour’s 2024 manifesto.
The incoming leader, who secured the backing of 379 of Labour’s 403 MPs at a special party conference in London, had pledged to honour the manifesto commitment not to issue new licences. But senior industry sources told The Scotsman: “We think the announcement is going to happen.”
“Burnham to approve new North Sea drilling on Monday, breaking Labour's manifesto pledge.”
At the heart of the debate are two oil and gas fields off the north-eastern coast of Scotland — Rosebank and Jackdaw — which regulators approved in 2022 and 2023 under the then Conservative government, but were overturned in 2025 after a legal challenge. The licences were later ruled unlawful by a Scottish court, which said the government must consider the environmental impact before allowing drilling to proceed.
Burnham’s decision to relax restrictions would mark a significant departure from the 2024 manifesto, and comes amid pressure from the Conservatives, Reform UK, and trade unions. Union officials have told him support for new drilling would send “a signal that the country remains committed to producing, building and manufacturing”.
The new prime minister is expected to outline a flurry of policy measures on Monday, including plans to take water and energy companies under public control and a fresh council house-building programme. One source said Burnham might pitch this as a significant change of direction, but added that “any overt support for completely new licences is not on the cards”.
He is also expected to give people “breathing space on the cost of living” and intends to make a “dynamic start… focused on delivering tangible change to people’s lives as soon as possible”.
The energy secretary, Ed Miliband — a Burnham ally who is tipped for a senior role in his cabinet — has previously described the Rosebank licence as “climate vandalism”. Miliband’s past stance puts him at odds with Burnham’s expected pivot, though the incoming prime minister has not yet announced his top team. Shabana Mahmood is widely tipped to become chancellor.
In his victory speech, Burnham declared he was “ready to lead” and pledged to “give them hope back”. He thanked outgoing prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for laying the foundation for Labour’s return to power. “Under Keir Starmer’s leadership, we went from our worst defeat to one of the best victories in our history,” he said.
The announcement on Monday will effectively decide the fate of Rosebank and Jackdaw, though the ongoing legal processes mean Burnham will not be able to explicitly approve them. That decision will fall to the new, unannounced energy secretary.
One question remains: can Burnham satisfy both the environmental wing of his party and those clamouring for cheaper energy — or does his “dynamic start” risk fracturing Labour all over again?