Labour MPs speak out against Rosebank oil field
Over 60 Labour MPs oppose the Rosebank oil and gas drilling project off Shetland, citing climate and bill concerns as a ministerial decision approaches.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Over 60 Labour MPs sign a letter opposing the Rosebank drilling project
- Critics warn the project fails on climate, jobs, and energy bill tests
- Supporters argue domestic production prevents reliance on high-emission imports
- Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh holds the final decision authority
Growing expectations among senior Labour figures suggest that the drilling project in the oil field off the north-west coast of Shetland is heading toward approval. However, deep divisions within the party have surfaced as more than a dozen Labour MPs raised serious concerns inside Parliament.
Wednesday's Westminster Hall debate, organized by Green MP Carla Denyer, provided a platform for backbenchers to scrutinize the controversial project. The licenses for Rosebank and the Jackdaw gas field were originally granted by the Conservative government in 2022 and 2023, respectively, before the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled the approvals unlawful last year, leaving the current Labour administration to make a fresh determination.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Abtisam Mohamed, the Labour MP for Sheffield Central, sharply criticized the initiative during the parliamentary debate, arguing that taxpayers would shoulder development costs without seeing a reduction in their energy bills or strengthened energy security.
"Rosebank fails on every test."
Abtisam Mohamed
Conversely, supportive Labour lawmakers, including recently departed veterans minister Al Carns, warned that rejecting domestic production would merely drive up imports with their own environmental costs, as Britain will continue relying on fossil fuels for decades. Jonathan Brash, Labour MP for Hartlepool, also emphasized the vital economic benefits for communities tied to the oil and gas sector.
The political friction surrounding the Rosebank decision highlights the complex dilemma facing the UK government as it attempts to reconcile urgent economic and energy security demands with strict net-zero emissions targets by 2050. The impending verdict by Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh serves as a critical test of how the administration will navigate internal party dissent over fossil fuel investments.
Source: BBC Politics
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