GB News came to a standstill on Tuesday, following Donald Trump's attempts to pressure Andy Burnham into backing North Sea drilling plans. Appearing on the show, presenter Tom Harwood was joined by Ross Clarke, the author of Not Zero, a hard-hitting read about the country's aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050.
Trump's Claims Dismissed
Reflecting on Trump's argument that granting new licenses could make Britain "pretty rich," Clarke noted, "It would be a bit unusual if UK government policy was actually announced by President Trump. I don't think that's quite how things are supposed to work."
"So, whether Andy Burnham really has told him he's going to open up North Sea drilling or not, I think the reports I've been hearing are that Andy Burnham will approve renewed drilling in the Jackdaw field, which is the gasfield east of Aberdeen, but possibly not the Rosebank field west of the Shetlands, which is an oil and gas field."
Potential Benefits and Shortcomings
Acknowledging that Britain "could do with" more gas, especially as the UK's supplies from Qatar have been cut off by the "situation in Iran [and] the Strait of Hormuz," Clarke noted that the Jackdaw field could provide 6% of UK gas needs this winter. Nonetheless, the journalist dismissed Trump's claims that renewing North Sea drilling efforts would make the UK "pretty rich".
"Sadly, it won't make us pretty rich, as Donald Trump suggests there, but it could alleviate possible gas shortages and help bring prices down a little bit for UK consumers," he clarified.
Pressure on the Prime Minister
In what appears to be an attempt to force the Prime Minister's hand, Trump told reporters on Monday that he'd had a "good conversation" with Burnham, and expects the Labour leader to approve new drilling plans.
"That will make the UK pretty rich, I'll tell you," the President declared, remarking that the UK had an "energy problem" which could be solved by further projects. "That would make [the] UK rich. If you open up the North Sea, it's one of the great finds anywhere in the world," he added.
While Trump has suggested that Burnham will approve drilling plans, whether the Prime Minister will concede to the President's bulldozing tactics remains to be seen.
"The North Sea remains a vital national asset, supporting jobs, growth, and the UK's energy security," a spokesperson for the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero said on Monday. "We are clear that oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, alongside transitioning to clean power to protect jobs and tackle the climate crisis."
Previous Clashes
Prior to Burnham's administration, Trump had repeatedly clashed with the PM's predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, over the matter. "You have one of the most valuable oil finds anywhere in the world, and if the United Kingdom would use it, they'd be a wealthy country again. And I tell you what, I could not get Starmer to use it. It was incredible," he told GB News last month.
"Every oil company that I meet. And these are all big giants. Every person that I know in the oil business said: 'Please, could you open up the North Sea? Could you get them to open it?' They're dying to do it."
