Kemi Badenoch has been accused of 'peddling a dangerous fantasy' about North Sea energy as she prepares to call for a reversal of the ban on new oil and gas licences. The Conservative leader is expected to launch a 'get Britain drilling' campaign on Monday, arguing that increased domestic production would enhance energy security and reduce household bills.
However, critics have dismissed the policy as ineffective and out of touch. Tessa Khan, executive director of renewable energy campaign group Uplift, described it as 'vapid, political game playing at the expense of ordinary people'. She noted that even Badenoch's own shadow energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, admitted in 2023 that new licences 'wouldn't necessarily bring energy bills down'.
Research by Uplift and energy consultancy Voar found that hundreds of North Sea licences granted between 2010 and 2024 have produced only 36 days' worth of gas. Experts argue that North Sea output is too small to influence global prices, and that the UK's integration with European and global markets means increased drilling would have little effect on costs.
Badenoch is also expected to call for scrapping the windfall tax on energy profits and providing more financial support to the fossil fuel industry. Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus Energy, warned that more drilling would not create spare capacity in global supply, leaving prices vulnerable to shocks. A Labour spokesperson countered that energy bills are set to fall this week due to Labour's policies, which the Conservatives opposed.
