Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch has issued a dire warning to the government, stating that the UK faces a severe risk of blackouts and economic turmoil if new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea is blocked. In a powerful intervention, she argued that halting domestic fossil fuel production would be a catastrophic strategic error.
In a confidential letter to the Cabinet's Net Zero committee, seen by The Daily Mail, Badenoch laid out the profound dangers of cutting off the UK's main energy supply. She emphasised that such a move would not only jeopardise the nation's energy security but would also hand a massive advantage to foreign regimes, forcing Britain to import expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) from countries like Qatar and the United States.
The High Cost of Import Dependency
Mrs Badenoch's analysis presents a stark financial reality:
- UK households and businesses would be exposed to volatile global gas prices.
- Energy bills would inevitably skyrocket, adding immense pressure to the cost of living.
- The nation would lose out on billions in tax revenue currently generated by the North Sea industry.
- Tens of thousands of jobs supported by the sector would be put in immediate peril.
Her intervention places her in direct opposition to Climate Minister Graham Stuart, who is advocating for a ban on new licences to align with ambitious net zero targets. The Prime Minister is now caught in the middle of this critical cabinet divide.
A Question of Security and Sovereignty
Badenoch's position is clear: energy security is national security. She contends that domestic production is not only cleaner than shipping LNG across oceans but is also essential for keeping the lights on and the economy running. Blocking new projects, she warns, would be an act of self-sabotage with irreversible consequences.
This internal government conflict emerges just weeks before a crucial by-election in Scotland's oil and gas heartlands, highlighting the immense political and economic stakes of the decision. The future of Britain's energy landscape hangs in the balance.
