More than seven out of ten people think the UK should produce oil and gas in its own waters rather than rely on imports from abroad, according to independent polling published today.
The survey from Opinium found that 71% of people backed domestic production of oil and gas compared to just 8% who thought it did not matter where oil and gas comes from.
There was also strong support for the government to scrap its current ban on new North Sea exploration. Over twice as many people (49% to 24%) thought the UK should follow Norway’s Labour government in allowing new licences for exploration rather than continuing the current ban.
Labour voters also rejected the centrepiece of the UK government’s energy policy, with 42% saying Britain should follow Norway in allowing new licences compared with 35% of those who voted Labour at the 2024 general election, who said the UK should continue the ban on exploration.
Evidence from the new independent poll commissioned by Offshore Energies UK, comes just days before Andy Burnham moves into Downing Street, and ramps up the pressure on the government to perform a U-turn on current policy, boosting North Sea energy production and reducing import dependency.
David Whitehouse chief executive of Offshore Energies UK said:
“This compelling new data shows that the British public are looking for huge change in energy policy from the new Prime Minister. Declining homegrown oil and gas production in the North Sea has increased UK exposure to imports and geopolitical risk. The voters have had enough.
“All corners of the UK population are looking for change from Andy Burnham, including the government’s own core supporters. Almost 70% of Labour voters said that the UK should continue producing oil and gas in the North Sea rather than rely on imports compared to just 9% who said it doesn’t matter where it comes from.
“Labour voters are also looking for a significant shift in the government’s flagship ban on new exploration. Only 35% of Labour supporters want the current ban on new offshore licences to continue, with a clear majority (42%) favouring Norway’s much more pragmatic approach to allowing new drilling offshore.
“The next Prime Minister is promising hope, to make sure that Britain’s industrial communities are not left behind. Nowhere is this more desperately needed than with the UK’s energy sector.
“Domestic production is less carbon-intensive, supports the energy transition, produces billions of pounds of tax revenues for the Chancellor, and builds industrial resilience across the country, making us all more secure.
“We need an energy policy reset to back North Sea oil and gas, not imports.”
Learn more about the campaign at Back the North Sea.
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