Miatta Fahnbulleh, the United Kingdom's energy secretary, is facing accusations of evading scrutiny after media were excluded from her initial official visit to Aberdeen to meet with North Sea oil and gas executives. The meeting, held in a UK Government office in Scotland's energy hub, also did not result in a public read-out of the discussions.
Fahnbulleh, who was appointed to her role on Monday, has previously expressed opposition to new oil and gas fields and advocated for accelerated Net Zero targets. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) stated that the media exclusion was due to Fahnbulleh's recent appointment. However, critics pointed out that she had participated in national media interviews in London within 24 hours of taking office.
Scottish Conservative politicians claimed Fahnbulleh was avoiding defending the Labour party's stance on new drilling bans and the significant windfall tax on energy companies, which they assert has led to job losses. Andrew Bowie, Shadow Scottish Secretary, criticized the visit as an opportunity missed for Fahnbulleh to express confidence in the industry and outline a positive policy direction. He suggested her approach mirrored that of her predecessor, Ed Miliband, and that Labour needed to reconsider the energy profits levy and support new oil and gas licenses.
Fahnbulleh's past statements indicate a history of opposing fossil fuel projects. In 2022, she wrote on social media that new oil and gas fields could not be permitted if the world is to stay within 1.5C of global warming. The following year, she called for an end to new fossil fuel projects and for businesses to cease funding them.
As energy secretary, Fahnbulleh will play a key role in decisions regarding the licensing of significant North Sea projects, including Rosebank and Jackdaw, which were inherited by the current government. These fields, which could supply a substantial portion of the UK's energy needs, have faced delays and reassessment due to legal challenges. While Labour's manifesto included a commitment to ban new drilling licenses for climate reasons, Andy Burnham has indicated a desire for a shift in emphasis regarding North Sea projects.
Industry figures and business groups have expressed concerns about the uncertainty surrounding these projects. Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, stated that approving Rosebank and Jackdaw would signal the UK's openness to investment and commitment to domestic energy production and jobs. Meanwhile, the SNP's official policy involves a 'presumption against' new oil and gas drilling, though this position has seen internal dissent. SNP MSP Jack Middleton commented that the new energy secretary's visit should focus on the impact of current policies on jobs, arguing that abandoning Scottish oil and gas roles would lead to increased reliance on carbon-intensive imports.