A firefighter and union boss has issued a warning to Andy Burnham after reports that he plans to open a new oil field in the North Sea.
According to reports, new prime minister Andy Burnham and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh are considering whether to approve drilling in Rosebank, north west of Shetland, after consent was withdrawn in 2025.
The controversy comes shortly after the former Greater Manchester mayor officially took over from Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Monday.
Protests and opposition
Rosebank field is the biggest undeveloped oil and gas field in the UK, and protest groups have this week been campaigning against the move, claiming that the fresh drilling of oil and gas in the North Sea would break Labour’s manifesto. Protestors are also opposing new drilling at a second site in the North Sea - Jackdaw, off Aberdeen.
Now, the chair of the Merseyside Fire Brigades Union has issued a warning about plans to open Rosebank oil field, claiming that the worsening climate crisis is affecting people across the UK right now.
Firefighter's warning
It comes after the UK has seen a number of devastating wildfires over the summer so far, including one at the moorlands near Dovestone Reservoir, Saddleworth, and another at Tintwistle. Other significant fires have broken out in Wales and Scotland.
Lee Hunter, who has been a firefighter for more than 20 years, said: "Every time we are turned out, we don't know whether we're heading to another wildfire, another flood or another emergency made worse by the weather. That's becoming the new normal for firefighters. For more than 20 years, when temperatures soar, wildfires break out or floods hit our communities, it's been me and my colleagues who have been on the frontline. And we're stretched to our limits."
Mr Hunter continues: "We've lost around 12,000 firefighter jobs over the last 16 years, yet we're responding to more extreme weather than ever before. This month, we've seen wildfires across Wales and Greater Manchester, while the London Fire Brigade was warned of an extreme wildfire risk. Now, Scotland is burning. We simply aren't prepared for what's coming.
"That's why our union is saying no to Rosebank. It would pour more fuel on the fire while doing nothing to bring down people's energy bills or improve our energy security. We've already seen what happens when Britain is hooked on volatile oil and gas markets – it's ordinary people who pay the price."
He adds: “Nobody's saying turn off the taps overnight. But the North Sea is already in decline, and workers deserve a real plan for the future. Instead of approving another oil field, ministers should be investing in the industries that will create secure, long-term jobs and protect our communities. That's the choice Andy Burnham has to make."
Background on licences
Labour’s 2024 election manifesto pledged not to issue any new oil and gas licences, though the Jackdaw gas field, off Aberdeen, and the Rosebank oil field, north west of Shetland, already had licences granted in 2022 and 2023.
Environmental campaigners launched a legal challenge over the approvals after a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that emissions created by burning fossil fuels should be considered when granting planning permission for new drilling sites. This challenge was upheld at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in January 2025.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said: "The North Sea remains a vital national asset, supporting jobs, growth and the UK's energy security. We are clear that oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, alongside renewables, nuclear and other low-carbon technologies. Our focus is on providing stability and ensuring the North Sea continues to make a strong contribution to the UK's economy and energy security."
