UK PM Burnham to announce new North Sea drilling

Andy Burnham is expected to announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea on Monday, July 20, 2026, his first day as the United Kingdom's new prime minister. The anticipated move, widely reported by multiple outlets, would signal a significant policy shift from the Labour Party's 2024 election manifesto, which pledged not to issue new drilling licenses.

The decision centers on the fate of two major oil and gas fields, Rosebank and Jackdaw, located off the coast of Scotland. Regulators initially approved the projects in 2022 and 2023 under the previous Conservative government, but those approvals were overturned by a court in 2025 following a legal challenge. Public consultations on the projects are now underway, though industry sources have expressed hope that Jackdaw could proceed this year and Rosebank early next year. The joint venture developing the fields, Adura, has stated the projects represent a combined investment of 10.8 billion pounds and are expected to create thousands of jobs.

Burnham, who was confirmed as Labour leader on Friday, July 17, and will formally succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister on Monday, has promised a dynamic start to his...