Labour MPs Rebel Against Rosebank Oil Field Approval

As the UK government edges closer to a decision on the controversial Rosebank oil field, a group of Labour MPs has publicly urged the government to reject the project, arguing it conflicts with the country's climate goals. The field, located 80 miles north-west of Shetland, would see oil and gas extracted via a large ship if production is approved.

Growing Expectations and Party Divisions

Senior Labour figures increasingly expect that drilling at Rosebank will be given the green light. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated on Wednesday that a decision would be "taken in due course," while Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh emphasised that making energy bills affordable was her "overriding objective." However, about a dozen Labour MPs voiced concerns during a Westminster Hall debate, highlighting divisions within the party. Separately, a letter opposing Rosebank, reportedly signed by more than 60 Labour MPs, is being organised and is intended for Burnham.

One signatory told the BBC that approving Rosebank "would not create new jobs, would bring minimal money into the Treasury and be bad for the climate." The MP added: "The government's central aim is to tackle the cost of living crisis, and drilling for more oil at Rosebank isn't the answer."

Climate Commitments Under Scrutiny

The debate, organised by Green MP Carla Denyer, saw Labour MPs criticise the project on multiple fronts. Abtisam Mohamed, MP for Sheffield Central, argued: "Rosebank fails on every test. It will not benefit taxpayers who will shoulder the vast majority of the development costs, it will not strengthen our energy security because most of the oil will be sold on international markets, and it will not reduce energy bills for our constituents, who will remain exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices."

Richard Burgon, a former frontbencher on the left of the party, said: "Rosebank is not compatible with our climate targets - it's dangerous to pretend otherwise." The UK is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and aims to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

The government has consistently maintained that the Rosebank decision is quasi-judicial and formally rests with Fahnbulleh. Last month, she approved production at the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, but Rosebank's fate remains uncertain. The Energy Secretary is expected to announce the decision in the coming weeks.

Manifesto Pledge and Legal Hurdles

Labour's 2024 manifesto pledged not to "issue new licences to explore new fields." Licences for Jackdaw and Rosebank were granted by the previous Conservative government in 2022 and 2023, respectively. However, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled last year that the approvals were unlawful, leaving the current Labour government to make a fresh decision.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch sought to exploit Labour divisions on the issue during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

During the debate, Labour MP Anna Gelderd said: "We live in an unprecedented era where our energy security is more vital than ever, in which jobs and wealth must be protected and economic opportunities seized - on both of these points, Rosebank fails."

Julia Buckley, Labour MP for Shrewsbury, said she had received opposition to Rosebank from her constituents in "regularly flooded Shrewsbury" and said fossil fuels "belong in the past, not the future." She urged Fahnbulleh to "reject the oil licence in favour of renewables," adding: "Please don't add further to our climate emergency."

Support for Rosebank

Other Labour MPs expressed support for the project, including recently departed veterans minister Al Carns, who warned that Britain would continue to need fossil fuels for decades and that importing more would be a mistake. "Refusing to produce it here does nothing on its own to eliminate that demand - it simply increases our reliance on imports which can carry their own environmental cost," he added.

Those representing communities with ties to the oil and gas industry, including Jonathan Brash, the Labour MP for Hartlepool, stressed the benefits of approving Rosebank for British jobs.

Energy minister Michael Shanks told the debate the government would take a "pragmatic approach" to a clean energy transition, stressing it was "not a turn off the taps government, but nor can we justifiably be a drill every last drop government either." He added: "This government will not make decisions for this country which are not compatible with our climate obligations."

The political battle over Rosebank is intensifying within Labour, with the decision carrying significant implications for the UK's climate credibility and energy policy.