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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Nils Pratley

Jackdaw approval is a step towards a grownup North Sea policy

Aerial view of the Jackdaw gas field platform's helipad, surrounded by open sea
The Jackdaw debate was always about tax receipts, jobs, the national balance of payments, relative emissions and the security from having domestic gas piped straight into the national network. Photograph: Adura/Reuters

Andy Burnham hit the nail on the (well)head in his first fortnight as prime minister when he said: “The question isn’t whether Britain will still be using oil and gas, the question is, where does it come from?”

It was a nod towards several awkward energy facts. First, oil and gas provided 75% of the UK’s energy in 2025, government data shows. Second, even with the rollout of domestic renewables for generating electricity, about 43% of overall energy was imported last year.

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