ANDY Burnham is expected to delay granting approval to the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea until after a key by-election in Keir Starmer’s former Westminster seat.
The crucial by-election in Holborn and St Pancras is predicted to be a battle between Labour and the Greens, with Burnham to reportedly be delaying his decision on the project until late autumn.
Greens leader Zack Polanski will take on Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali at the October 8 by-election, triggered by the former prime minister's departure from Parliament.
The speculation comes as Polanski framed the upcoming by-election to fill Starmer’s parliamentary seat as a referendum on North Sea drilling, after he was selected as the Green Party candidate.
Polanski said the Holborn and St Pancras constituency was more concerned than most about the climate crisis and it was “really outraging people” that Burnham might announce new drilling for oil and gas during the election period, or refuse to rule it out until after people vote.
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation.
“The North Sea remains a vital national asset and oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come – alongside transitioning to clean power to protect jobs and tackle the climate crisis.
“Any decision will take into account all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations received during the consultation process."
Approval for Jackdaw and the Rosebank oil field off Shetland is opposed by a significant number of Labour MPs.
However Andrew Bowie, the shadow energy secretary, said delays in approving Jackdaw would push the offshore work needed to get gas flowing into winter, increasing the risks to offshore workers.
In a letter to Burnham, Bowie asked him to confirm “suggestions that you are about to delay the decision on the Jackdaw gas field until after the conference recess and Holborn and St Pancras by-election”.
He added: “If this is the case, it would be nothing short of you placing the interests of the Labour Party before the interests of Great Britain.”
Bowie has also tabled a series of parliamentary questions hoping to bring Miatta Fahnbulleh, the Energy Secretary, or Michael Shanks, the energy minister, to the Commons before Parliament goes into recess on Tuesday.
