Burnham to announce new North Sea oil and gas drilling plans
Deeply irresponsible. We're in a climate crisis. This is such a terrible start. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
rockinchimp 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🇵🇸110Says a lot about Labour that they feel they have to stick by their own made-up fiscal rules but will happily break any manifesto pledge that is inconvenient to them.
Steve DeVeaux76Saw this article earlier and thought the same. There is so little to be gained from this: the fields are almost depleted, it will barely help with the country’s energy security, it will not reduce the cost of our oil & gas, and it exacerbates the climate crisis. Very poor decision to go with this.
KeninDevon51This act alone would destroy Burnham’s credibility for me. Only the Green Party can be trusted to tackle the climate crisis.
Bettina Struff #Woke #FBPE #FBPR #NHS #RejoinEU47WTF is wrong with him? Has he been bought by Big Oil like so many other politicians?
Mapolino40Nonsensical. Practically, financially, politically, scientifically. Europe is moving massively towards renewables and we, American style, move backwards.
Dawny B22Are you sure this is true?
Tony Yates27It doesn't make much difference directly, but it's still important in the sense that my own lack of power to make a significant contribution should not be an excuse for not making it, as together we can make a difference. It's a collective action problem globally and we should not fail to act.
Laurens van Boven 🍉25Echt het allereerste. Wat een binnenkomer.
irs_uk8Fuck, he's not even PM yet and Burnham has made a bloody stupid decision that forces me to agree with Zack sodding Polanski. Any tiny hope I had that he might have learned from Starmer and his own mistakes is hanging by the smallest of threads...
Cat Alyst 🏳️⚧️🇨🇦 (they/them)7Furthermore, as per the United Nations: “For every dollar invested, renewable energy creates three times as many jobs as the fossil fuel industry.” (www.un.org/en/climatech...)
Proletarian Scholar6Facts. Labour are done. Appease the fat twats!
Prof Wayne Visser5It won’t reverse the clean energy wave, but it’s an unnecessary pandering to the fossil fuel lobby
Darlington Green Party4Instead of investing in greener renewable energy, Burnham wants to harm the environment and climate. The world is burning. Same old Labour. join.greenparty.org.uk
Jukka Rintamäki3Lol Burham is cooked, congrats Labour, congrats UK.
EllenA + Orcas2Welcome to Canada…. is your PM also using the “Trump” excuse? Our PM was elected based on his book about the environment.
D Cheshire cat2A noter que ce faux espoir de la droiche anglaise fut naguère un rival de Corbyn à la direction du Labour. 😑
So Andy Burnham has repeatedly committed to sticking to Labour's 2024 manifesto, yet we're now told that his first major announcement will be breaking its commitment not to drill for new oil and gas in the North Sea.
Adam Bienkov169Greens: "With heatwaves causing deaths, wildfires and extreme weather across the country, approving new oil and gas drilling is exactly the wrong response and will do nothing to bring down energy bills."
Sylvia Booth28This will go down like a lead balloon with most people - not Badenoch obviously. We only have one planet.
Huw Jelly27He's decided the best opening gambit as is to announce oil and gas drilling and appointing the ghoulish hypocrite and anti-immigration daughter of immigrants as chancellor despite her having no experience or qualifications for the role is quite frankly an astonishing way to fail on day -2 as PM. 🤬🤦♀️
Cthulhu Fhtagn!13I was in Taiwan last week and this is the view from the hotel. Solar panels everywhere and a functioning public transport system. I commuted using the bullet train in the background (also covered in solar panels) the equivalent of Manchester to Sheffield in 10 minutes. That's what's wrong in the UK.
Parker11All that wearing a Fred Perry and springing about to New Order going to wear off in record time.
Marlowe_UK8It’s a near certainty the media have got this wrong.
Jim Trinca27It's not even funny how anyone with a brain said "he's probably going to be exactly the same, or somehow worse"
Adria14Keep your hands off the North Sea you twat.
Peter Tennant12This is completely unforgivable. Fossil fuels promise nothing but death and destruction. Europe is just half way through the summer. And yet an estimated 10,000 people have died from an unprecedented heatwave and wildfires rage across the continent. North sea oil and gas must stay in the ground.
Henry Stockdale8So he's sticking to the manifesto on not introducing proportional representation, but drilling for oil is fine. Depressing how predictable this was
Esther5Is Andy Burnham going to give everyone air conditioner units and Hepa air filters to help survive the temperatures caused by continuing to burn fossil fuels? I doubt it.
Jaime Cross5Man... Starmer didn't seem to want or prepare for the job, but this guy has been frothing at the mouth about getting into power for god knows how long and is somehow gonna fuck it up even worse.
Dr Simon Ubsdell4Well, he said he wanted to reach out to other parties, so I guess this is him working constructively with Kemi Badenoch. A new kind of politics, a reimagining of “what things could be like if we changed the way politics works”.
Rank Bajin3Honestly I'm just surprised he found a manifesto pledge that Starmer hadn't already broke, that's dedication to the bit
Princess Space Catt 💙3New oil and gas drilling is such a deeply bizarre first thing to talk about acting on. It’s so bizarre it feels like a distraction. But I actually just think he’s stupid.
Sarah Calvert 🇬🇧🇮🇹🇪🇺3Red lines over Europe somehow bizarrely sacred, destroying the planet... meh... Hugely disappointing and won't win back a lot of people.
Andy Burnham is going directly against the 2024 Labour manifesto by doing this (as the BBC correctly and prominently notes). That opens a door that his team have tried hard to keep shut. If he can go against the manifesto for *this*, he will hear, why not for other issues?
James Ball118If his line is that he feels he can only legitimately u-turn on the manifesto on a small number of issues, the choice of this one will look even more perverse. He will never be able to outdo the tories and reform on climate denial. And north sea drilling will deliver nothing on energy prices.
Freddy Hicarus9Jesus. Can we not be fucking sensible for a change? Forever governed by fucking morons. And I thought Burnham would be different. I had hoped for years.
baszkom.bsky.social7Not interested in courting back Green voters then.
MartyH7He has to break manifesto promises, but to open with this one I’m afraid is a huge mistake. It will deliver nothing and is merely pandering to the right, which as we know with Starmer is pointless.
Steve Brown5Flunking it on day one. 🤮 So much for evidence based policy. Really hope this is not a tone setter for the next two and a half years.
James Murray5They’ll no doubt argue on the technicality that the precise manifesto wording was ‘we will not issue new licences to explore new fields’. They could claim Rosebank and Jackdaw had been approved, despite the subsequent legal challenge.
Sam Freedman155He isn't going against the manifesto. He will sign off Jackdaw and Rosebank which were initially approved under the last govt. And he might allow expansion of existing fields. Not new licenses. This is so he can avoid the problem James outlines.
Dylan Difford41It was the summer, there's a brand new Labour PM. They need to pick something for their first big policy announcement, looking tough is a bonus. Among the many things they could go for, they pick something that is going to be divisive among the Labour coalition. It all goes swimmingly.
Nathan23I am begging everyone in British politics today to familiarise themselves with the concept of hostages to fortune
Fraser Campbell11Starmer with a slightly less squeaky voice. People need to get it into their heads that no-one is coming to save us. We have a generations long battle ahead the wrest the country back from those who have bought our political process.
Cambridge for Europe11Andy Burnham rips up a manifesto commitment on oil and gas drilling that will have negligible economic impact. So he's going to rip up the Brexit red lines to deliver the much larger economic benefits of rejoining the EU. Right? bestforbritain.org/publication/...
cpuk (trampoline park connoisseur and occasional comic printer)10Probably not the manifesto pledge I’d have fudged first.
Dave Robinson3I really, really want to give Burnham the benefit of the doubt, with a fresh start. But starting off with new pil and gas drilling in the North Sea and appointing Shabana Mahmood as Chancellor would be the absolute worst start imaginable. What next? New data centres? More Palantir? UK DOGE?
Andy Burnham's first act as Prime Minister is one of environmental vandalism. New oil and gas fields won't lower bills. This is a fact. If we want to lower bills, create jobs, and improve our national security we need serious investment in cheap, clean renewable energy.
Verminous Scot6We need independence so we can take these decisions for ourselves instead of having shit we don't want foisted on us by a foreign country, nuclear, oil & gas to name a couple.
Proud Cybernat6"Andy Burnham's first act as Prime Minister is the continued theft of Scotland's resources and the continued denial of our democractic rights." Sorted.
Mhurgle (Zappa d'Killa-Kloon)5He's really quadruple-downing on becoming "Red Tories", huh.
fifeenv.bsky.social3Failed before he started. He is a politician, so I didn't expect anything else.
Plans to drill for more North Sea oil & gas are worrying not because they'll burn the planet - the amount is too small for that - but because they're a symptom that Burnham is kowtowing to the wrong people.
Tom James5Indeed. Who will stand up for the US frackers and QatarEnergy?
Chairman Moët2Politicians on the left always have to prove to the commentator class that they're serious by doing something opposed by their core vote as soon as they take power.
beanz111.bsky.social1If true it would be equivalent to Starmer’s first big blunder.
Andy Burnham will announce plans for new oil/gas drilling in the North Sea when he becomes prime minister on Monday - the BBC Cha-ching, very profitable for the billionaires and the politicians who get their donations. Now we see why Ed Miliband couldn't be Chancellor
Mike Brady5If Andy Burnham starts out breaking manifesto commitments as blatantly as this, the pressure for a general election will become irresistible. Very foolish. Labour Party manifesto 2024 ⬇️
Pat Traynor3And of absolutely no benefit to the populace. Energy bills will continue to climb and the planet will continue to die.
This right after the hottest Spring on record causing thousands of deaths. He's screwed it all before even being made PM.
Griffin2Absolutely fuck that. Drilling for more oil benefits none of us - not one little bit. Burnham has potentially fucked it up before he's even started. If Mahmood really is Chancellor (tory chancer more like) - then it's even worse. But most of Labour are too shit scared to be on Bluesky to hear it!
Adamski1REVIVED - but still extremely bad👎
mrhivz1One step forward(?), two steps backwards.....
You effing idiot! @andyburnham.bsky.social An utterly ignorant and nonsensical decision Look around you for f*ck's sake And explain your decision to the relatives of the 2,700 people who have just died in the UK as a consequence of the mass burning of fossil fuels www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Alan6I am waiting for next week and the actual announcements, not really listening to the pre-announcements because who knows what will actually happen.
redballoonsue.bsky.social1Let's wait and see what the real news is and why. He has promised to be open. Let's give him the chance.
reciprocalone.bsky.social1It's totally insane and will only weaken the government's position on the climate. Do they really think vested interests pushing for this will be satisfied? No, they will push for further concessions. All the government are doing is strengthening Farage's climate science denial and his narrative.
Leviathan Wilde1I’m going to wait till it comes out of the horses mouth. IF true & not just jackdaw & rosebank (which would fit under manifesto) it would be time to unleash the biggest campaign EVER. Until then, worth wondering who this briefing against Miliband & for drilling benefits 🥹 bsky.app/profile/levi...
Wanderscotwild1I'm also waiting to hear from Burnham himself. Headlines rarely reflect accurate facts. If it turns out to be correct, then I feel i can start criticising it
HumansOvershot1isn’t it an intertemporal trade off? suboptimal now vs Trumpian-like environmental damage by Deform 2029 onwards (assuming that his strategy is the same one that won him Makerfield) also isn’t the issue in our usage of it - the demand - rather than where it comes from?
I will be very angry if this decision goes ahead. We do not need more north sea oil and gas drilling! It would also go against both the spirit and the letter of the 2024 Labour manifesto. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oddballwoofwoof19I suspected that a lot of people on here, who happily supported the coup because they wanted a 'charismatic leader', might end up regretting it once they saw the reality of someone that desperate for power. I didn't expect it to happen within the first weekend of El Presidente Burnham's reign.
ian-urru.bsky.social15Is there something weird in the water? Why make his first policy something absolutely abhorrent? We need a commitment to renewables and clean water, not a worse mess!
Rachel Lowe13100%. I was so hoping for real change with Burnham. If it’s true this is soul destroying and the worst possible start.
Laurette 💙🇨🇦🇲🇽🇪🇺🇺🇦🐸12Isn't that what certain union bosses were calling for? I think we may be getting a glimpse into who orchestrated this coup against Starmer & why Ed Miliband is being sidelined. I hope he's not like Trump & in the pockets of big oil?
David Thompson12You won't be the only one. To take a decision like this at the same time as the UK is literally burning & dealing wth a series of extreme heatwaves because of the climate emergency is beyond comprehension.
Peter Archibald12This heatwave is CAUSED by oil and gas drilling. Next year WILL be hotter. We must #leaveitintheground
Can’t look soft on the Net Zeros. Gotta own the (checks notes) increasingly narrow path to a livable future. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Nick Harkaway19Policy vs reality has been a theme for a while, but I still find it weird. bsky.app/profile/sund...
otolithe1It is increasingly obvious that most politicians can't actually understand the climate change issue. They might be "against it", or at best pay lip service. But they cannot "get" it. It requires long term thinking and consequences you cannot walk away from. Their brains aren't made for this.
Joanne Hall14Its currently 13 degrees above the July average temperature here in east Carmarthen but go ahead, kill the fucking planet....
If you know you know6lol this guy, seriously this is all you have to replace Starmer? Little England is cooked.
D Franklin3Continuity Starmerism is going to destroy us. If we can't take climate change seriously in the middle of a SECOND heatwave in the space of weeks we never will.
Burnham to announce plans for new North Sea oil and gas drilling. So there we have it, the new Labour "leader" is bought and paid for by the Oil and Gas industry before he even enters No. 10. Nothing changes. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose 🤡🤦♂️🤷♂️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
David/Trout4He has lost any benefit of the doubt on day one. What a twat.
sam-27.bsky.social4Utterly depressing 😞 The world is on fire 🔥 we need investment in renewable energy not oil & gas
BassReborn3It’s the BBC so no idea if it’s true
Chezza3If true, it's a kick in the nuts for any idea that he is any any way remotely progressive
janemick1I've already written to my MP, but i'm not holding my breath. What a shitshow
johnny21-61.bsky.social1I just read the bbc article. "They have been told" "It is understood" I'll wait and see what he actually SAYS and then decide. Maybe factions in the labour party up to their old tricks. I'll wait and see
Meet the new boss. Even worse than the old boss? Europe burning up and the response of the incoming Prime Minister is to stoke the flames www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Martin EA7KRC5Burnham by name burn em by nature
walkingpete.bsky.social3Sharon Graham is doing the same - can’t understand it - jobs can be changed, pumping carbon into the atmosphere will take a lot longer than a job swap??..
Robin-DeBowler3Another false dawn Andy. Just as we thought we might get a socially focused government and prime minister. It turns out we get yet another corporation prawn doing the bidding of the paymasters. Will we ever be rid of these leeches. Will we ever get a government that does people not growth
Gahan Zwart secundum de Espinoza2One day in office right? And already an idiot sandwich.
DameV172Oh God. Am Not happy about this
oldbrat.bsky.social1IMO it would be a different story for some if we were talking about coal mines and the jobs. Britain is not ready for only renewable energy. Sadly, we still need the security of old fashioned power sources. So rely on buying coal, oil, gas from others. How dumb to get into that situation
Andy Burnham, Uk's umpteenth P.M. stated he will begin drilling in the North Sea. W.T.Fucks wrong with these leaders, U.K. & Europe just experienced intense heat, with people dropping dead due to climate change? Invest the money in non polluting alternate energy. Fools pursuing short term greed.
Freebo2Maybe it’s a money grab so they can buy a place on mars with Elon, and start destroying that environment.
The world is transitioning. You have to go through hell first.
Suzanne LaBounty1Fascists are driven to destroy every around them. Don’t end up like the Yankees.
🍁 Christine 🍁1Carney's fully on board with it all.
Liberal Crone1I’d love 10 minutes with every one of these fuckwitted nincompoops.
Witty Librarian Resistance1"pander to the rich interests" is the only script the major political parties know anymore. their consultants - the ones getting six-figure salaries - keep shilling it to them.
