Coutinho says only a ‘whacko’ would shut oil & gas – Daily Business

Oil & gas will feature strongly in the forthcoming by-election

MPs have been told that only a “complete whacko” would scale back North Sea oil and gas production, exposing the UK to foreign supplies and denying itself billions in tax revenues.

After MPs rejected a Tory move to grant licences to the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho accused Labour whips of telling MPs to “vote to shut down the North Sea”.

The Commons voted 108 to 323 against the proposed amendment to the King’s Speech which introduced the Energy Independence Bill to accelerate the development of renewable energy.

Ms Coutinho said the Government’s position would leave the UK more reliant on higher-emission gas from Qatar or the US and exposed to imports from Norway.

She added: “This is the single greatest act of industrial self-harm we have seen in a generation. Only a complete whacko would respond to a supply shortage by shutting down their own oil and gas industry.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband defended the government’s policy, telling MPs £90 billion of private investment had gone towards clean energy since the 2024 general election.

Ed Miliband: we are deeply vulnerable

“We’re not in favour of a ‘turning off the taps’ position but, I’ll just be honest with the House, nor are we in favour of a drilling every last drop,” said Mr Miliband.

The debate came just weeks before voters go to the polls in Aberdeen South where the issue will be a hot topic.

Ahead of today’s vote, new SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan said: “The Labour government must scrap its punitive tax on Scotland’s energy, which has destroyed thousands of Scottish oil and gas jobs and put our energy security at risk.

“Westminster is treating Scottish oil and gas jobs as expendable. The Tories introduced this damaging tax, and the Labour Party has continued it. They must both take responsibility and apologise for taking a wrecking ball to Scottish jobs and our vital energy industry.

“For more than 50 years, successive Labour and Tory governments have taken over £400billion of Scotland’s energy wealth to Westminster and failed to deliver the investment Scotland needs. That must end now.

The Energy Secretary doubled down on Labour’s green priorities, saying: “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 – for a simple reason – we do not control the price of oil and gas, which is set on international markets.”

#Coutinho #whacko #shut #oil #gas #Daily #Business