Tories call for more drilling in North Sea with new draft law

The Tories have pledged to reduce legal obstacles which prevent new oil and gas projects being approved in the UK, with the publication of draft legislation.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said her party’s Get Britain Drilling Now Bill would “stop the lawfare and free our oil and gas industry”.

The Bill proposes to remove the requirement for downstream emissions to be considered in planning decisions, therefore reversing the ruling to block the development of the Rosebank site in the North Sea.

The party claims more drilling would secure cheap, reliable energy and cut energy bills – in addition to making Britain more resilient to global energy supply and price shock.

Badenoch said: “We need to get Britain drilling in the North Sea. It’s good for our energy security, our financial security, and our national security.

“Keir Starmer hides behind legal process because he doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to Ed Miliband.

“The Conservatives have had enough. This Bill would stop the lawfare and free our oil and gas industry to start drilling, creating new jobs and bringing in revenue to get energy bills down.

“This is another step in our cheap power plan, which will cut bills by £200 and ensure a stronger economy and a stronger country.”

As part of its local elections campaign, the Conservative Party have also called for a cut in VAT on domestic energy bills and the scrapping of green taxes on power generation, saying these measures will cut bills by £200.

Equinor had been granted approval to develop Rosebank in 2023 by the regulator, however, the decision was later ruled unlawful by the Scottish Court of Session in January 2025.

The Norwegian energy firm, which owns the majority of the Rosebank development, resubmitted plans for its approval last year.

The field, which is about 80 miles north west of Shetland, is said to contain up to 300 million barrels of oil and some gas.

The Conservatives have argued companies such as Equinor have been left stranded with future projects paralysed by uncertainty.

Its draft legislation would give the industry confidence to invest in oil and gas in the North Sea, the party said.

Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said: “It is unforgivable that Labour are continuing with Ed Miliband’s mad plan to shut down our own energy supplies in the North Sea in the middle of an energy crisis.

“Keir Starmer is too weak to stand up to Ed Miliband, who has allowed radical activists to make us weaker, poorer and more dependent on foreign imports with higher emissions through endless lawfare.

“Our Bill will clear the way for investment in our own energy production so we get more of our energy from Britain rather than from abroad. We must get Britain drilling.”