North Sea gas: Senior Tory Sir Alok Sharma says Rishi Sunak's oil and gas licence plan suggests 'not serious' about climate change

Former Cabinet minister and COP26 president Aloka Sharma has spoken out about plans to issue more oil and gas licences for the North Sea

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plans to maximise North Sea oil and gas production give the impression he is “not being serious” about tackling climate change, a senior Tory has said.

Former Cabinet minister Sir Alok Sharma, who was president of the international COP26 climate summit hosted by the UK, said he will not support the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill when MPs vote on it later.

He said the legislation is a “smoke and mirrors” exercise, which reinforces the perception that the UK is “rowing back from climate action”.

An oil platform standing amongst other rigs that have been left in the Cromarty Firth near Invergordon in the Highlands of Scotland.  Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

The Bill will require the industry regulator to run annual rounds for new oil and gas licences, subject to stringent new emissions and imports tests. Licensing rounds are run when the North Sea Transition Authority (NTSA) decides it is necessary.

The Government claims the introduction of regular licensing for exploration will increase certainty, investor confidence and make the UK more energy-independent. But the legislation has already triggered the resignation of former net zero tsar Chris Skidmore as a Tory MP and now Sir Alok has added his criticism.

Sir Alok said the legislation was a “total distraction” and “a smoke and mirrors Bill, which frankly changes nothing” except to further damage the UK’s international reputation on climate action.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “What this Bill does do is reinforce that unfortunate perception about the UK rowing back from climate action – we saw this last autumn with the chopping and changing of some policies – and actually not being serious about meeting our international commitments.”

He said that, at the COP28 summit in December, the UK signed up to a global plan to transition away from fossil fuels, but “this Bill is about doubling down on granting more oil and gas production licences”.

“It’s actually the opposite of what we agreed to do internationally, so I won’t be supporting it,” he said.

Sir Alok said the Climate Change Committee has been “pretty clear that continued expansion of new oil and gas reserves is inconsistent with our climate commitments”.

A group of 30 politicians, including Mr Skidmore and Lord Goldsmith, have also written to energy secretary Claire Coutinho urging her and the Government to drop the Bill, saying that it is “diametrically opposed” to the global consensus of moving away from fossil fuels.

They said it would not achieve the Government’s aim of improving energy security as it cannot control the intentions of private companies who wish to sell the oil abroad.

Further North Sea oil and gas development would only damage the UK’s reputation on climate change, harm marine wildlife and enrich fossil fuel companies, the group said. Instead, the Government should increase the supply of renewables and energy efficiency measures, it added.

The legislation, coupled with Mr Sunak’s decision to delay transitioning away from petrol and diesel cars and gas-fired boilers – which he said would save consumers money – has caused unease among Tory environmentalists.

Mr Skidmore, who led a Government review of net zero, announced on Friday that he would stand down as he said the Prime Minister’s environmental stance is “wrong and will cause future harm”.

The Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill will have its first Commons test on Monday night.

Labour has opposed the measure, arguing it will not deliver benefits in terms of lower costs and improved energy security, is “entirely incompatible with the UK’s international climate change commitments”, and is “a totally unnecessary piece of legislation which will do nothing to serve the UK’s national interest”.

Sir Keir Starmer said the legislation was an attempt to create a political dividing line with Labour as the country prepares for a general election.

“What you’ve got is a Government that’s wasting its time trying to pass legislation to create a dividing line with the Labour Party rather than to solve the problem,” the Labour leader said.