Tony Blair backs calls for more North Sea oil drilling

• Tony Blair's think tank, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), has urged the Labour Party to support expanded oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
• The TBI argues that the war in Iran has highlighted the UK's "structural vulnerability" to global fossil fuel shocks, necessitating increased domestic energy supply.
• The report specifically advocates for backing projects such as the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas fields to reduce reliance on volatile imports.
• TBI's energy expert, Tone Langengen, said that the crisis underscores the need for a broader "reset" of the UK's energy strategy to ensure resilience and affordability.
• The issue has created political pressure on Sir Keir Starmer, with differing views within the Labour Party.

IN FULL

Tony Blair calls for more North Sea drilling to protect UK from economic shocks exposed by Iran war