Jackdaw gets the go-ahead

Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh and chancellor John Healey will announce approval for the Jackdaw gasfield from Aberdeen on Wednesday morning after more than a year of deliberations.

What Jackdaw means for the industry

The approval is a big boost for Shell and Norwegian company Equinor, which operate the field. When fully operational, Jackdaw will account for six percent of North Sea gas production.

Climate campaigners say it breaks promises

Tessa Khan, executive director of anti-oil campaign group Uplift, said Jackdaw will provide around just two percent of UK gas demand for roughly ten years and undermines Labour's green credentials.

“No new oil and gasfields are compatible with safe climate limits.”

Labour's unexpected decision

Labour came to power in twenty twenty-four on a promise not to grant any new North Sea licences, not expecting to decide on Jackdaw or Rosebank.

The court ruling that changed things

A judge ruled that regulators should have taken into account the carbon emissions from burning the oil and gas when deciding if the fields would violate UK climate commitments.

Pressure from Trump and others

Prime minister Andy Burnham and predecessor Keir Starmer came under heavy pressure to allow the fields to go ahead, not least from Donald Trump, who urged both men to open up the North Sea.

Burnham's pragmatic approach

Burnham signalled sympathy to Trump's arguments in July, saying there is a resource there and when people are struggling you cannot ignore that. He promised a pragmatic approach to the decision.

“When people are struggling, you can't ignore that.”

How the government frames approval

Fahnbulleh, Healey and North Sea Transition Authority chief executive Stuart Payne will say granting environmental approval does not violate Labour's manifesto commitment because it is not a new licence.

Political cost among voters

A poll by Savanta for climate group E3G shows nearly a third of voters say they would be less likely to vote Labour if it approves more North Sea oil drilling, including a third of…

Rosebank decision still to come

Fahnbulleh has not made a final decision on the larger Rosebank field. Officials are looking at ways tax proceeds could go to green projects if approved. A decision is expected later this year.