Badenoch launches Get Britain Drilling as oil prices surge
Badenoch launches Get Britain Drilling as oil prices surge
Kemi Badenoch unveils a three-point plan to push domestic oil and gas, aiming to curb bills but sparking debate over North Sea drilling.
Britain is bracing for a new energy battle as Kemi Badenoch launches her 'Get Britain Drilling' campaign, aiming to reboot domestic oil and gas production to shield households from rising costs amid a global price surge sparked by Middle East tensions. The plan hinges on a three-point approach: end the moratorium on new oil and gas licences, scrap the windfall tax on energy profits, and provide more financial support for the fossil fuels industry. Badenoch plans to visit an oil rig off Aberdeen on Monday to unveil the campaign.
She frames drilling as a pathway to energy security, financial security, and national security, arguing it would bring more jobs and tax revenues to help lower bills: “Drilling our own oil and gas is about energy security, it’s about financial security, it’s about national security. It’s more jobs, good for business and provides tax revenues that could be used to bring down bills.”
The move comes as global oil prices rise amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, with observers linking the spike to supply concerns such as the closure of routes like the Strait of Hormuz. The Conservatives say their plan could help bring down living costs for households and boost business confidence, while campaigners warn it risks entrenching a fossil-fuel-led economy at a time when renewables are increasingly viable.
Critics describe the announcements as a vapid, political gesture. Tessa Khan of campaign group Uplift labelled the campaign as dangerous fantasy and warned that a declining North Sea requires a shift toward renewables to secure long-term jobs. Nevertheless, the party suggests further measures will follow in the coming week to address both household bills and industrial energy costs.
