Labour UK government 'could green-light up to 13 new oil and gas projects despite North Sea licence ban'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Green campaigners have hit out after it emerged the new Labour UK government could approve up to 13 new oil and gas projects.It comes despite Keir Starmer’s party pledging a ban on new North Sea licences.However, new analysis by climate website Carbon Brief found Labour ministers may be “compelled” to greenlight drilling 13 sites - including the controversial Cambo oil field - within months.These are projects that have been licensed for production - however, they require further development consent from UK authorities to begin operations.Labour net zero chief Ed Miliband could deny this consent on climate grounds but insiders suggested this was unlikely due to the risk of legal action from fossil fuel firms.A former government official, consultant Andy Bell, told Carbon Brief: “My expectation is that… they will be compelled to consent to the projects.”Friends of the Earth Scotland just transition campaigner Rosie Hampton said: “Labour promised voters a change in energy policy away from the Tories’ reckless drill-every-drop approach, so these people would be horrified that the new UK Government would even be considering green-lighting new drilling.“Public and political outcry stopped the huge Cambo field and the need to move past fossil fuels has only grown more urgent in recent years.“Every new barrel of oil that comes out of the North Sea worsens climate breakdown, as well as being time and money that is not being spent on climate solutions like renewable power.”Lewis Ryder-Jones from Oxfam Scotland warned: “Approving new oil and gas projects in the North Sea would only further poison our planet and undermine the UK’s climate goals.“We simply can’t afford to pursue further fossil fuel folly.“The UK Government must