Trump praises Burnham over Jackdaw gas consent, talks of North Sea oil

The UK government’s approval of North Sea gas production at Jackdaw has prompted a political dispute over energy costs, climate policy and how the project was handled.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the government of dithering, noting that a Conservative government first approved the project in 2022. Andy Burnham said the Tories had not carried out the process “properly” and described the current government’s choice as a “pragmatic decision”, according to the BBC.

Jackdaw’s approval followed a court ruling that overturned its earlier consent because the assessment had not accounted for emissions from burning the gas. The government has since completed a new decision process. The BBC’s video report focuses on the opposing political claims; it does not set out the project’s expected effect on household bills or emissions.

The decision adds to debate over whether further North Sea production can support energy security while meeting climate goals. The government expects Jackdaw to provide a modest increase in domestic gas output, but its approval does not mean the gas will reduce consumer prices: the government’s assessment says the project is not expected to materially affect energy prices or bills.

Jackdaw’s approval is also distinct from a decision on Rosebank, another North Sea development, which remains pending. The row over Jackdaw is therefore both about the project itself and the government’s wider approach to new oil and gas production.

Update

US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Friday over the Jackdaw decision, telling reporters: “Andy is getting it done.” Trump said the UK was “opening up the North Sea oil” and predicted that it would become “a very rich country”. The approval, however, is for development and production at one licensed gas-condensate field, not a general opening of North Sea oilfields. [7] [3]

Trump said he had spoken with Burnham and contrasted him with former prime minister Keir Starmer, who, he said, “never got it done”. His prediction about British wealth was not new: in a Wednesday Truth Social post, he had already urged the UK to expand North Sea activity and said it would make the country “very wealthy again”. Friday brought his personal praise for Burnham and his account of their conversation. [7] [8] [6]

The Jackdaw project also predates this week’s approval. Its four wells were drilled by February 2026 while the developer sought fresh consent after a court overturned the previous approval because it had not assessed emissions from burning the fuel. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh agreed to the grant of consent on 14 October; the North Sea Transition Authority issued it to developer Adura on 21 October. The government expects gas supplies to begin from the end of this month. [3] [4] [5]

Government estimates suggest Jackdaw could increase domestic gas production by about 6% at its peak; that is not 6% of total UK gas demand. Adura estimates that the project could generate about £2.9 billion in gross value added over an operational life of up to 11 years. The Energy Secretary judged its contribution to gas security small but meaningful, while concluding it would neither end the UK’s reliance on imports nor materially affect energy bills. She also found that the project’s greenhouse-gas emissions would have a significant environmental effect, but approved it after weighing that against other factors. [3] [5]

The government says Jackdaw’s consent is consistent with its policy of not issuing new exploration licences for new fields. A decision on the separate Rosebank oil-and-gas project was still pending on Friday, according to PA Media. [5] [7]