Reform UK has pledged to reverse the government's ban on new North Sea oil and gas drilling as a 'day one' priority if elected, with taxpayers taking a stake in the projects. The party's deputy leader, Richard Tice, has met with senior UK oil executives in recent weeks to promise support for the industry, which has been hit by the windfall tax and a block on new exploration licences.
Tice told energy bosses to expect a reversal of the ban alongside billions of pounds of public investment in their projects if Reform comes to power in the 2029 election. The public investments would effectively hand taxpayers an equity stake in North Sea fossil fuel developments, which have stalled since Labour's manifesto pledged to end new exploration licences.
'As long as there's oil in the North Sea, we should be drilling for it,' a Reform UK spokesperson said. 'There are clear benefits for securing jobs and energy independence.' The party's move coincides with calls from US President Donald Trump for the UK to 'get their energy costs down' by ending 'costly and unsightly windmills' and incentivising 'modernised drilling' in the North Sea.
Green groups have rebuffed Trump's claims, arguing that volatile global energy prices are behind the UK's high costs, while renewable energy offers a cheaper alternative. Reform said it would reveal further details of its energy policies later, including potential plans to reverse all renewable energy subsidies, effectively dismantling the government's net zero agenda.
'If people want to invest in renewables without subsidies they'd be welcome to do that,' the spokesperson added. Tice earlier warned that the party plans to block 'net stupid zero' infrastructure, including renewable projects in Lincolnshire, where Reform took control of the county council. 'We will attack, we will hinder, we will delay, we will obstruct,' he said.
