Rosebank oilfield decision: Labour MPs plan pushback if approval goes ahead
The Rosebank oilfield decision faces pressure from inside Labour as well as the cabinet: MPs warned on Wednesday a major pushback would follow approval, and have discussed forcing a parliamentary vote on the project, which remains on hold pending a government decision.
Rosebank oilfield decision: Labour MPs plan pushback if approval goes ahead
The Rosebank oilfield decision is heading for a confrontation inside Labour as well as inside the cabinet. MPs said on Wednesday that approving the North Sea project would trigger a major pushback within the party, and they have been discussing how to make that dissent visible in parliament should the government greenlight it.
MPs discuss forcing a vote
Backbenchers are understood to have talked through options for forcing or encouraging a parliamentary vote on Rosebank if it is approved, as a way of expressing their opposition to the project. The threat of a rebellion sets up an unusual scene: a government decision that could immediately face challenge from its own side of the House.
The dissent is not blanket hostility to North Sea drilling. According to the same report, most of the MPs accept the Jackdaw gasfield as a necessary part of the transition to net zero, which makes their resistance to Rosebank specifically all the more pointed.
Cabinet divide over the licence
The parliamentary tension mirrors a split in government. Chancellor John Healey is in favour of approving drilling at the field, and signalled that support last week when he told ITV he expected oil and gas revenues to contribute to the new energy wealth fund.
The decision itself rests with energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, who was reported last week as leaning towards rejecting Rosebank after granting permission for the smaller Jackdaw gasfield. She has argued the rationale behind Jackdaw does not transfer to Rosebank, saying the UK will rely on gas during the transition to net zero and that it is better sourced from relatively low-carbon North Sea supplies than from imports.
She drew the line between the two projects in explicit terms:
One is a gasfield that caters for the domestic market, while the other is an oilfield that is mainly for export
Fahnbulleh said each application must be judged in its own right and must be consistent with climate obligations and carbon budgets. Officials say she has not yet made her decision.
Why the Rosebank licence is on hold
The licence has been on hold over concerns about the project's environmental impact. The gap between the two fields is central to that assessment:
- Rosebank would produce emissions about seven times greater than Jackdaw.
- Most of the oil would be exported, meaning the project would do less for UK energy security.
- Fahnbulleh's position is that Jackdaw serves the domestic gas market while Rosebank's output is mainly for export.
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson declined to comment on speculation, saying the North Sea remains a vital national asset and that any decision will take into account all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations received during the consultation process.
What happens next
If the disagreement in government hardens into open conflict, the prime minister would be expected to make the final call. No 10 declined to comment on Sunday after the Mail on Sunday reported that Andy Burnham and Healey had agreed to try to push the project through.
A rejection would be a blow for the North Sea energy industry and a major victory for climate campaigners. A final decision is expected before the end of the year, with MPs' contingency plans for a parliamentary vote waiting on the outcome.
