Ed Miliband has indicated he would approve drilling in the North Sea to smooth the path to becoming Chancellor by proving he is no Net Zero “zealot” and reassuring the markets. The Telegraph has more.
Ed Miliband wants to approve drilling in the North Sea to calm market jitters about his possible appointment as Chancellor and prove he is no Net Zero “zealot”.
The Energy Secretary has privately signalled his willingness to grant consent for drilling at the Jackdaw gas field but cannot publicly confirm the move until a consultation closes next month.
Jackdaw, off the coast of Aberdeen, is one of two licences in the North Sea currently held in legal limbo. The other site, Rosebank, would produce oil to be sold in a global market, but Jackdaw would be able to provide enough fuel to heat 1.4 million British homes this winter.
Miliband is keen to show the markets he would be willing to put Britain’s economic growth ahead of his Net Zero ambitions if he became Chancellor amid reports more wealthy people are planning to flee Britain if he moves into No. 11.
Andy Burnham, who is set to become Prime Minister next Monday, has already said he is “open minded” about North Sea drilling to help combat Britain’s cost-of-living crisis.
An industry source said: “They want to do it. Ed Miliband sees it as a way of showing willing to the City but they are likely to follow the law.
“There is a public consultation that does not end until August 10th and if they announce anything before then they would run the risk of a judicial review. So, privately, they are signalling that they want to do it.”
The Government has faced growing calls from unions, the Tories and Sir Tony Blair, the former Labour Prime Minister, to allow more drilling in the North Sea. The issue dominated the recent by-election battle in Aberdeen South, helping to hand the Tories victory at the poll.
Last month, Sharon Graham, the Unite boss, said that if Burnham appointed Miliband as Chancellor, it would be like putting “a noose around the neck of job creation”.
Miliband, however, has previously spoken out against new drilling, describing proposed drilling at Rosebank as “climate vandalism”.
A source close to the Energy Secretary told the Observer at the weekend he was not a “zealot on the eco issue”, adding: “He’s much more a pragmatist than he’s painted to be and that wouldn’t be difficult to show, given the way he’s being portrayed.”
Worth reading in full.
These are my principles, and if you want to offer me a job, I have others.
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Utterly shameless
The real worry for me is that Miliband thinks he can achieve more as Chancellor than Energy Secretary. Especially if that ‘more’ is a swifter march towards a glorious Socialist Utopia.
Lying two-faced git.
So he attaches more importance to his career than the environment. The conclusion must be that the net zero scam is political.
I’m pleased to read that Miliband isn’t a zealot on the eco issue. Imagine how bad things would be if we had an energy secretary who was.
Off topic. Pakistan, beneficiary of much UK largesse, refuses to take back the rapist. Whoever would have guessed?
Send him bag in pieces by freight, problem solved.
Now, now. We need to be humane. A parachute should do the trick, so he can fall into the welcoming arms of his countrymen. The lawyers can argue about it afterwards.
Have you seen the cost of parachutes?
Second hand?
Perhaps we should kick out all the freeloading Pakistani diplomats….and close there embassy, reckon that would help….
I don’t believe him.
He is either lying or has no principles – either way, not a great look.
The Groucho Marx school of politics: “Those are my principles and if you don’t like them…..well, I have others”
What a P.O.S. he is.
Money talks. Pragmatism is good for his bank balance.