Hundreds of North Sea licences granted by Conservatives have ‘so far produced only 36 days worth of gas’
Hundreds of licences granted for new oil and gas projects in the North Sea under the Conservatives have so far produced only 36 days’ worth of gas, according to analysis,Research by the energy consultancy Voar and the campaign group Uplift found that between 2010 and 2024, the government handed out hundreds of new North Sea oil and gas licences in seven licensing rounds,This led to 20 new and relicensed fields that have the potential, over their lifetime, to produce enough gas to supply the UK for only six months,To date they have produced the equivalent of 36 days of extra gas,The findings cast doubt on claims by Reform UK and the Conservatives that new drilling licences in the North Sea would help to reduce energy bills and boost the UK’s energy security.
Tessa Khan, the executive director of Uplift, said rightwing politicians and the oil and gas industry were trying to mislead the public.“Some politicians are trying to sell us a dangerous fantasy of endless gas reserves, when the truth is – after 50 years of drilling – we have already burned most of it,” Khan said.“A month’s worth of gas from 14 years of licensing by the last government shows the complete folly of pursuing this policy.It’s barely enough gas to last from now until May Day.”A rise in energy prices caused by the US-Israeli war in Iran has intensified the debate over how to ensure the UK has a reliable supply of affordable energy.
Labour’s decision to ban new oil and gas licensing and focus instead on homegrown renewable energy has been welcomed by many economists and climate experts,However, it has come under repeated attack from Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage in recent weeks,The Reform leader called on the prime minister to “open up the licences, and become self-sufficient in natural gas”,Badenoch claimed: “Drilling in the North Sea and expanding other sources of generation … is the only way we can protect families from rising bills,”However, experts say the North Sea is a “mature basin” whose output has declined by 75% since its peak.
They say 90% of its reserves have gone.New licences would have no impact on bills because the price is set by the international markets.Official data shows new licences would have a minimal impact on the UK’s dependency on imported gas.Instead, campaigners say a more effective way to achieve energy security for Britain would be to double down on renewable energy and implement a mass programme of home improvements, from better insulation to installing heat pumps.Khan said: “New drilling would not take a penny off our bills, something even the industry has conceded.
The only way to insulate ourselves from oil shocks is to double down on renewables and upgrade homes, so we can free ourselves from fossil fuels.This is just common sense in today’s world.”Jess Ralston, the head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said issuing more licences would be a “sticking plaster” that would not help British consumers.“The reality is that we’ve drained dry around 90% of oil and gas there,” Ralston said.“To stop the UK being so vulnerable to energy crises, often sparked by war, lowering fossil fuel demand through electric vehicles, heat pumps and renewables remains the most credible long-term solution.
”The Conservatives have been contacted for comment.
Jimmy Kimmel on Mike Johnson’s new award for Trump: ‘You can almost feel his spine exiting his body’
Late-night hosts mocked the Republican party’s inaugural “America First” award for Donald Trump as he finally reveals the “present” he received from Iran.Jimmy Kimmel had a field day with the Republican National Committee’s inaugural “America First” award, presented to Trump on Wednesday by Mike Johnson, the House speaker, who described the prize as “appropriate for the new golden era in America”.“I can’t figure out who should be more embarrassed: the guy who came up with the new award, or the guy who proudly accepted the new award,” Kimmel laughed.“Watch Mike Johnson here,” he added before a clip of the lawmaker’s speech. “You can almost feel his spine exiting his body
Dark Mofo: 2026 festival to show Willem Dafoe film that can only be watched by one person at a time
A hallucinatory experimental film starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Rampling that can only be watched by one person at a time is heading to Australia as part of Tasmania’s 2026 Dark Mofo festival.It’s estimated that only 500 people in the world have seen French artist Loris Gréaud’s film Sculpt since its premiere at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2016 – although the exact figure is hard to know, since he later gave the files to hackers to distribute over the dark web.But come June, a lucky few can bid to join the film’s rarefied audience, when Gréaud presents a new edit – bemusingly titled Sculpt: Eye of the Duck – to one audience member at a time at a secret location outside of Hobart. It exemplifies the kind of weird and wonderful, rare and had-to-be-there experience that Dark Mofo has become known for.On the morning of each performance, hopeful viewers will be able to queue at a box office in downtown Hobart for one of nine timed, solo-viewing slots that day
Seth Meyers on Donald Trump’s ‘present’ from Iran: ‘Is the president getting catfished?’
Late-night hosts speculated on Donald Trump’s mystery “present” from Iran, as well as his delusions about a war he claims the US is not in.On Wednesday’s Late Night, Seth Meyers reminded viewers, once again, that Donald Trump “promised no more wars in the Middle East” before his recent military strikes on Iran.“But you guys, good news! It’s not a war,” he joked. Instead, according to Trump, it’s an “excursion” or “a little journey” in Iran. “Stop calling it an excursion!” Meyers exclaimed
Will this ‘Doritos-inspired’ hot cross bun cause some spicy full-scale anarchy – or is it merely weird-smelling clickbait?
Alyx, I tried one of the orange bread-things you left in the office kitchen. What was that?That, Julia, was the apotheosis of this year’s Easter rush of frankenfoods, a “Doritos-inspired” cheesy jalapeño hot cross bun. The trend of turning everything into a hot cross bun and turning hot cross buns into everything has been going for a while now, and this year the world’s biggest food companies got on board like brands at a pride parade in 2015.A savoury take is the most obvious of the not-crosses, which is why I bought it, but I also walked past a shelf filled with discounted Iced Vovo hot cross buns, alongside a bunch of other Arnott’s biscuits. If I’d gone to Woolworths instead of Coles, I could have picked up various CadburyxHXB collabs; and Aldi is doing a carrot cake number
Ministers consider charging tourists to enter national museums in England
Ministers are considering charging international tourists to access permanent collections at national museums as part of an initiative to improve arts funding.The government said there was a need for long-term options to fund the struggling arts sector in its response to a review of Arts Council England, which distributes public funding to the arts. Among the options cited was a hotel levy, a policy being consulted on.But Alison Cole, the director of the Cultural Policy Unit thinktank, said charging international tourists would be a “very bad idea”.“There’s a much better way to save our wonderful civic museums and cultural infrastructure across the country, and that we believe is a hotel levy,” she said
Jimmy Kimmel on Trump’s election integrity push: ‘Like Bill Cosby telling you he’ll watch your drink for you’
Late-night hosts mocked Donald Trump’s mail-in voting as he tries to end mail-in voting, ICE agents in US airports and a mysterious “gift” from Iran.On Tuesday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host checked in on Donald Trump’s efforts to pass the so-called Save America act. The sweeping restrictive voting bill would require proof of US citizenship for new voters and end mail-in voting, or what Trump called “mail-in cheating”.“That’s right, he prefers in-person cheating,” Kimmel quipped.“He keeps saying that it was brought to his attention today that we’re the only country that does mail-in voting – when is someone going to step in and tell him that’s not true?” he continued
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