Badenoch Urges Labour to Approve Rosebank Oil and Gas Field
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called on the Government to repeal its ban on new oil and gas licences and approve the Rosebank field, after Labour gave the go-ahead to the Jackdaw gas project.
Kemi Badenoch has urged the Government to repeal its ban on new oil and gas licences and approve the Rosebank field, using the decision to green-light the Jackdaw gas project as a test of Labour's willingness to back North Sea production. The Conservative leader's intervention places the future of the UK's largest undeveloped oil and gas field at the centre of a widening political argument over energy policy.
The call follows confirmation that the Jackdaw gas field has been given the go-ahead, a move that has already prompted debate about whether the Government's approach to new fossil fuel extraction is consistent. Badenoch argued that if ministers are prepared to approve Jackdaw, they should also clear the path for Rosebank rather than maintaining a blanket prohibition on fresh licences.
Rosebank, located west of Shetland, is among the most closely watched projects in the UK's offshore sector. Supporters say it would sustain jobs, investment and domestic energy supply, while opponents argue that new oil and gas development is incompatible with the country's climate commitments. The field has become a symbolic battleground in the wider dispute over how quickly Britain should move away from fossil fuels.
The Conservative leader's demand puts pressure on Labour to set out a consistent position. Approving Jackdaw while refusing new licences elsewhere has opened the Government to accusations of inconsistency from industry bodies and opposition politicians alike. Badenoch's message is that the same logic used to justify Jackdaw should apply to Rosebank.
The timing of the intervention also reflects the political salience of energy security, which has risen up the agenda following volatility in international markets and concerns about reliance on imported supplies. Both main parties are seeking to present themselves as defenders of British industry and household finances while navigating the transition to cleaner energy sources.
For the North Sea industry, the decision on Rosebank matters beyond a single field. Operators and investors have warned that uncertainty over licensing affects confidence across the supply chain, from engineering firms to ports and local services. A clear signal either way would help determine how much future investment is directed towards UK waters.
Environmental groups, by contrast, have argued that approving new fields undermines the UK's credibility on climate action and risks locking in emissions for decades. They are likely to challenge any move to approve Rosebank, setting up a fresh confrontation over the Government's energy strategy.
The Government has not yet indicated whether it will revisit the licensing ban or bring forward a decision on Rosebank. Badenoch's call ensures the issue will remain in the public debate, with the Jackdaw precedent now central to arguments on both sides. How ministers respond will shape not only the future of one field but the wider direction of UK energy policy.
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