Burnham told Trump the UK would act on North Sea oil.

Although the government has not made any statement on the matter, Trump has praised what he sees as a change of position by the British government.

Social media post Published the day before Burnham became Prime Minister,, External Trump wrote: “The people of Aberdeen in Scotland are dancing in the streets, because the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has announced that he will open the priceless oil of the North Sea!”

Asked about his talks with Burnham this week, Trump said: “I’m going to open up North Sea oil.”

“If he does that, you will be a rich country.”

He later said, “As you know, you buy a lot of your energy from the North Sea. You buy from Norway, and Norway gets from the North Sea… Norway had trillions of dollars in the bank.”

“Scotland has a better part of the North Sea.”

Asked about Trump’s comments, Burnham said: “I indicated in the phone call last Monday that we have a week to go that I will take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that’s my intention going forward.”

“Our country is burning, crops are failing, thousands have died in extreme heat,” Green Party leader Zach Polanski responded.

“Allowing new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea will exacerbate climate change and put more people at risk and cause untold damage to our economy.

“It’s not too late for Burnham to do the right thing and commit to leaving hazardous fossils in the ground.”

Conservatives and reformists have urged the government to approve more drilling in the North Sea, arguing it would lower energy prices.

Last year in The leader of the Tory party, Mrs. Kimi Badenach It is “absurd” to leave the UK “without the use of essential resources”.

Some Labor MPs have expressed dismay at further drilling, with Rachael Maskell urging the government to “follow climate science as we face a climate emergency”.

Simon Francis, from the Last Oil Poverty Coalition, said: “Any family struggling with their energy bills will not see a penny from drilling deeper than the North Sea.

Gas is sold at international market prices, so whatever goes out is sold to the highest bidder, not discounted to UK bill payers.

Sir Kiir’s government had previously licensed them, which allowed “back-tying” – production near unlicensed areas or adjacent to previously licensed areas.

Currently, the debate over North Sea drilling is focused on Rosebank and Jackdaw – two oil fields in Scotland.

In the year In 2022 and 2023, regulators approved drilling at the site, but that was overturned in 2025 following a legal challenge.

The legal process is ongoing, but the government must decide at some point whether companies will be allowed to produce oil in the two areas.

Other oil and gas permits have been approved in recent years but are largely undeveloped.

If he wants to encourage more drilling in the North Sea, Burnham could choose to scrap the energy surplus rate as well as the windfall tax.