Burnham Faces Pressure on North Sea Drilling Ahead of Scotland Visit

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing calls to approve new North Sea oil and gas drilling as he prepares for a visit to Scotland this week. Burnham is provisionally scheduled to be in central Scotland on Friday, a trip that coincides with the Scottish National Party's (SNP) conference in Aberdeen. The visit is expected to focus on his plans for increased devolution from Westminster to Scottish communities, though he is anticipated to avoid the northeast of Scotland.

Tory MP Andrew Bowie, Shadow Energy Secretary, has urged Burnham to use the visit to grant consent for the Jackdaw gas field and Rosebank oil development. Bowie stated that the delay in approving these projects is negatively impacting investment in the sector and contributing to job losses.

"While he continues to sit on the fence, 1,000 workers a month are losing their jobs because of Labour and the SNP’s ban on new North Sea projects," Bowie said. "It is absolute madness that our energy security is becoming ever more reliant on imports when we could be maximising our own resources in the North Sea."

Analysis commissioned by Adura, the company behind the Rosebank and Jackdaw projects, suggests that failing to approve these developments could cost the UK economy £10.8 billion in economic value over the next decade and result in 3,300 fewer jobs annually. Neil McCulloch, chief executive of Adura, commented that the report "puts a clear price on leaving viable North Sea resources from existing licensed fields in the ground."

Reform UK Scotland's energy spokesman, Duncan Massey, echoed these concerns, highlighting the prolonged silence from the Prime Minister's office regarding the Jackdaw decision. "Every day of dither adds to the bill, with new analysis published today warning that leaving these fields undeveloped could cost the UK economy £10.8 billion," Massey stated.

Burnham's visit comes as he continues to focus on defending the Union. In a recent speech, he expressed determination to counter SNP leader John Swinney's claims that he would be the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The SNP has extended an invitation for Burnham to attend their conference, with SNP deputy leader Keith Brown suggesting it would be an opportunity for Burnham to further his stance on the Union's democratic principles.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, responding to the potential attendance at the SNP conference, expressed skepticism about the reception Burnham's pro-Union message might receive there, referencing the positive reception of Burnham's defense of the Union at a recent Labour event.