US President Donald Trump has claimed that Britons are 'dancing in the streets' after new Prime Minister Andy Burnham signalled he would open up the North Sea for oil drilling and remove 'horrible looking windmills' in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Trump's Social Media Post
In a lengthy post on his platform Truth Social, Trump wrote: 'The People of Aberdeen, in Scotland, are dancing in the streets because the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has stated that he will be opening up, all the way, the invaluable North Sea Oil!' He described it as 'one of the Greatest Sources of quality Oil on Earth' with 'hundreds of years of Capacity left'. Trump added that Britain pays Norway 'Billions of Dollars a year' for oil from a 'less valuable part of the North Sea'. He also claimed the UK would move 'old and horrible looking windmills' that 'loom over and destroy the City of Aberdeen'.
Burnham's Stance
Burnham has yet to confirm the claims, but Trump appears to be relying on media reports suggesting the new PM is 'open-minded' about approving new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. If Burnham does consider new projects, it would contradict Labour's 2024 manifesto, which pledged to block further North Sea licences, arguing they would not lower bills or improve energy security while accelerating climate change.
Labour's Position
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell dismissed reports of a policy shift as 'speculation' but acknowledged a 'change of emphasis'. She said: 'We’ve been really clear that the way to achieve, in the long term, energy security and lower bills is by ensuring that we do have our own homegrown, clean, much cheaper energy. But we’ve been absolutely clear that North Sea gas and oil is an important part of that transition.' Powell added that Burnham would take a 'more pragmatic approach' and work with the industry to contribute to the energy mix.
Previous Pressure
Trump had previously urged former Prime Minister Keir Starmer to open up the North Sea for oil. The new PM officially takes office tomorrow, and his exact policy on North Sea drilling remains unconfirmed.
