Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has argued that boosting renewable energy supplies will prevent “petrostates and dictators” from interfering with the UK cost of living, following his Conservative counterpart’s warning that “only a complete whacko” would reduce North Sea oil and gas production.
Commons Debate on New Licences
Miliband and shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho exchanged heated remarks ahead of a House of Commons vote on whether to permit new licences for exploring oil and gas fields. The debate centred on the government’s Energy Independence Bill, unveiled in last week’s King’s Speech, which aims to fulfil a Labour manifesto commitment to stop issuing new exploration licences.
The Conservatives have put forward an amendment that, if approved, would signal parliamentary support for drilling in the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields off the Scottish coast.
Miliband’s Defence of Clean Energy
Addressing MPs, Miliband stated: “While we remain exposed to the fossil fuel rollercoaster, we are deeply vulnerable as a country. Our sovereignty, our security and the British people’s living standards are undermined by this dependence and exposure because we do not control the price of oil and gas, which is set on international markets.”
He emphasised that “energy independence through clean home-grown power we control” is the solution, noting that clean energy from wind, sun, and nuclear resources cannot be disrupted by foreign conflicts or the whims of petrostates. Miliband also highlighted that £90 billion in private investment has flowed into clean energy since the 2024 general election.
Employment Rights and SNP Concerns
The Energy Independence Bill will also grant offshore workers in renewables the same employment rights as those in oil and gas. SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan questioned whether Miliband might be forced into a U-turn if UK oil and gas production declines faster than consumption. Miliband retorted that the SNP “has had more positions on this than the Kama Sutra”. He reiterated that existing fields can remain open for their lifetime, but the government opposes both a sudden shutdown and a “drill every last drop” approach.
Coutinho’s Warning of Industrial Self-Harm
Coutinho accused Labour whips of wanting MPs to “vote to shut down the North Sea”, calling it “the single greatest act of industrial self-harm we have seen in a generation”. She argued that scaling back domestic production would leave the UK reliant on higher-emission imports from Qatar, the US, or Norway. “He’s shutting down British oil and gas to show climate leadership,” she said, adding that the policy would not reduce demand but simply shift production abroad, harming British workers.
The Conservative motion also warns of a “particularly negative impact on Aberdeen, the North East of Scotland and wider UK economy” and regrets the cancellation of a third large-scale nuclear plant at Wylfa in North Wales.
