Grant Shapps says it would be ‘irresponsible’ not to grant new oil and gas licences
Nicola Slawson
Grant Shapps has said it would be “irresponsible” not to grant new oil and gas licences in the North Sea and insisted the UK will “still meet our net zero targets”.
The energy security secretary told Times Radio that the North Sea basin is very mature and is “effectively running out”.
He said:
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) says that in order to meet the goals of 1.5% (degrees Celsius), no more than 1.5% warming, we would need to reduce by 4% a year the amount of oil and gas.
We are, even with these licences, on a trajectory to reduce by 7% a year because we’re running out of oil and gas in the North Sea.
So, you can see that having these licences is entirely compatible with and actually irresponsible not to grant them if we’re going to both secure the energy security of British homes and businesses, but also get to net zero.
So, it’s a very sensible, rational thing for us to be doing.
He told GB News that he is meeting with energy companies “who are going to invest £100 billion in renewables” at No 10 today.
He said:
Everyone supports this country’s transition to net zero but we cannot get there by telling people ‘we’re simply going to stop using oil and gas’.
The only way to do that would be to tell people ‘don’t put your gas boiler on, don’t drive a petrol car’, and do that almost instantaneously.
Unless you do that, what you’re really saying is ‘we’re not going to dig our own oil and gas, we’ll import instead’.
Yes, we’ll have more oil and gas licences, but we’ll still meet our net zero targets because we’re also massively investing in all these renewables as well.
Shapps denied the government has not been doing anything to boost UK energy security.
He said:
We’ve been moving very fast. This is just the latest round of investment into renewables by some of the very biggest energy companies in the land.
I will be looking after the politics blog today. If you have any tips or suggestions, please get in touch: [email protected]
Key events
A byelection to replace Margaret Ferrier will take place “as quickly as possible”, an SNP MP has said.
Ferrier lost her seat on Tuesday after results of a recall petition in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency was announced, with a new vote expected in the coming months to replace her.
Brendan O’Hara, SNP’s chief whip at Westminster, will now be tasked with filing a writ with speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to officially vacate the seat.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on Wednesday, SNP MP David Linden said the party would seek a byelection “at the earliest possible point”.
He said:
The SNP chief whip Brendan O’Hara will move the writ the first week that parliament returns from summer recess – that’s the earliest possible point we can do it – and we aim to do that and ensure that we have that byelection as quickly as possible.
Rishi Sunak has said inflation is not falling as fast as he would like, but said he believes people can “see light at the end of the tunnel”.
The prime minister, appearing on LBC’s Nick Ferrari programme, said of his five priorities: “The most important one is inflation,” adding that he plans to halve inflation and said the government was making progress.
Is that as fast as I’d like? No. Is it as fast as anyone would like? No. But the numbers most recently that we had show that we’re heading in the right direction, inflation is coming down, and I think people can see light at the end of the tunnel.
But, look, we’ve got to stick to the plan, it’s not easy to bring down inflation. It requires me to make difficult but responsible decisions on behalf of the country.
They’re not easy, I get flak for them, but I’m going to do them because they’re the right thing for everybody in the long-term, and I’m determined to stick to the course and bring down inflation for everyone.
Bibby Stockholm barge not a “deathtrap”, Grant Shapps insists
Grant Shapps has insisted that the Bibby Stockholm barge that will house asylum seekers is not a “deathtrap”.
The first 50 people were due to be moved onto the 222-bedroom Bibby Stockholm in Portland, Dorset this week but a Home Office source confirmed that there would be further delays in the use of the barge until sign off from health and safety officials is obtained.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said it is planning to write to the Home Office about overcrowding and access to fire exits on the vessel.
Rishi Sunak is now under increasing pressure to explain why the government persists in planning to use the barge, which has been condemned by refugee organisations for being costly, cruel and inhumane.
“As the only professional voice, firefighters believe the Bibby Stockholm to be a potential deathtrap,” FBU’s assistant general secretary, Ben Selby told the Guardian.
The barge has 222 cabins along narrow corridors over three decks, with two main exits. The evacuation point for those onboard is a compound on the quayside, which councillors have described as “completely inadequate” for about 550 people.
Councillors who visited the barge last week were told there are no lifejackets onboard and have expressed concerns that locked gates could cause a crush in an emergency.
The energy secretary, however, sought to refute the FBU’s warning, telling ITV’s Good Morning Britain:
It certainly won’t be a deathtrap.
This actual ship was previously used by Germany to house migrants, there’s no reason why it wouldn’t be absolutely safe. Ships are used to transport people all the time and there’s no inherent reason why that (not being safe) would be the case.
That’s actually why these final safety checks are being carried out.
Grant Shapps says it would be ‘irresponsible’ not to grant new oil and gas licences
Nicola Slawson
Grant Shapps has said it would be “irresponsible” not to grant new oil and gas licences in the North Sea and insisted the UK will “still meet our net zero targets”.
The energy security secretary told Times Radio that the North Sea basin is very mature and is “effectively running out”.
He said:
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) says that in order to meet the goals of 1.5% (degrees Celsius), no more than 1.5% warming, we would need to reduce by 4% a year the amount of oil and gas.
We are, even with these licences, on a trajectory to reduce by 7% a year because we’re running out of oil and gas in the North Sea.
So, you can see that having these licences is entirely compatible with and actually irresponsible not to grant them if we’re going to both secure the energy security of British homes and businesses, but also get to net zero.
So, it’s a very sensible, rational thing for us to be doing.
He told GB News that he is meeting with energy companies “who are going to invest £100 billion in renewables” at No 10 today.
He said:
Everyone supports this country’s transition to net zero but we cannot get there by telling people ‘we’re simply going to stop using oil and gas’.
The only way to do that would be to tell people ‘don’t put your gas boiler on, don’t drive a petrol car’, and do that almost instantaneously.
Unless you do that, what you’re really saying is ‘we’re not going to dig our own oil and gas, we’ll import instead’.
Yes, we’ll have more oil and gas licences, but we’ll still meet our net zero targets because we’re also massively investing in all these renewables as well.
Shapps denied the government has not been doing anything to boost UK energy security.
He said:
We’ve been moving very fast. This is just the latest round of investment into renewables by some of the very biggest energy companies in the land.
I will be looking after the politics blog today. If you have any tips or suggestions, please get in touch: [email protected]
