Labour’s North Sea drilling ban is ‘economic madness’, says union boss

Labour’s ban on new oil and gas drilling licences in the North Sea is “economic madness”, a trade union leader has claimed.

Gary Smith, the general secretary of the GMB, one of Labour’s biggest union donors, said that the Government’s energy policy was not only hitting jobs but also driving his members to Reform UK.

“Sacking thousands of workers who currently work in the North Sea is economic madness. It’s more akin to Thatcher and what she did to Middlesbrough in the 1980s,” he told Times Radio.

He made the comments after a survey by pollsters JL Partners found union members were just as likely to support Reform UK as Labour, with Nigel Farage as union members’ number one choice for prime minister.

The poll showed the two parties were tied at 28 per cent among union members, with Labour having suffered a 20-point drop in support since the last election in 2024.

“One of the issues that does drive our members to Reform is the current energy policy. Because it is closing factories, it’s hitting investment and it’s hitting jobs,” said Mr Smith.

Asked about the opinion poll, he said: “We’re very clear, Reform is no friend of trade unionists, it’s no friend of organised labour and people in the GMB.”

Asked how he could get the argument across to his members, he said: “Pointing out their voting record, I mean Reform going on about gold-plated public-sector pensions.

“If you’re a care worker working in local government, or a part-time worker in a school, these vital education support staff workers, who are earning pennies above the minimum wage and being told that somehow they’re on gold-plated pensions, that’s the reality of Reform.

“But we’ve also got to say the Labour Government has got a responsibility here too. They need to be doing more, they need to be less timid.”

Labour introduced a temporary ban on new drilling licences in the North Sea last year as part of the drive for net zero, and has since pledged to make the move permanent.

However, some members are said to support issuing fresh licences after the Iran war sent oil and gas prices soaring and stoked fears of fuel shortages in Europe.

Last month, Sir Tony Blair urged the Government to “use what is left of our North Sea oil and gas resources” to boost the UK’s competitiveness.

Wes Streeting, a potential leadership challenger, has urged Labour to ramp up oil drilling in the North Sea to boost the economy.

The former health secretary said that while more drilling would not “necessarily” mean cheaper energy bills, it would provide additional tax revenue for the Treasury.

However, Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, has pushed back against the demands, arguing that the move would not “take a penny off bills”.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]