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Proposal 13 · Policy 16
North Sea Oil & Gas
Use Britain's domestic energy resources. Protect energy security during the transition.
Manifesto 1.1 proposes continued development of North Sea oil and gas where economically and environmentally appropriate.
The purpose is not permanent dependence on hydrocarbons. It is to strengthen Britain's energy security while the country develops the technologies and generating capacity capable of replacing them.
The principle behind the proposal
Britain should not make itself unnecessarily dependent on imported energy while domestic resources remain available and appropriate to develop.
Continued North Sea production should therefore form part of a pragmatic transition — alongside expanded nuclear power and the development of cleaner replacement technologies.
Four Tests for Domestic Energy Development
1. Energy Security
Use domestic resources where appropriate to reduce avoidable exposure to international supply shocks and excessive dependence on imported energy.
2. Economic Appropriateness
Development should proceed only where projects make economic sense. This is not a commitment to pursue every possible North Sea development regardless of cost.
3. Environmental Appropriateness
Continued development is conditional rather than automatic. Environmental impacts must form part of decisions about whether individual developments should proceed.
4. Transition
North Sea oil and gas are not presented as Britain's permanent energy destination.
The objective is to maintain domestic energy resilience during the period in which nuclear power, grid capacity and other replacement technologies are expanded.
Britain will continue developing North Sea oil and gas where economically and environmentally appropriate.
The objective is energy security during the transition — not permanent dependence on hydrocarbons.
Not an Unconditional Expansion
This proposal does not set a production target, promise unrestricted licensing or assume that every potential development should proceed.
Economic conditions, environmental considerations and Britain's changing energy requirements should determine the pace and scale of future development.
Part of a Wider Energy Strategy
Proposal 13 does not stand alone.
Manifesto 1.1's wider energy programme brings together:
- Pragmatic Net Zero — decarbonisation guided by affordability, security and competitiveness.
- Nuclear Britain — expanding nuclear power, SMRs, research, grid resilience and fuel security.
- Domestic Energy Security — continued North Sea development where economically and environmentally appropriate.
- Social Energy Tariff — targeted support for lower-income households.
- Abolition of Domestic Standing Charges — changing how legitimate network and administration costs are recovered from households.
Together, these policies are intended to balance affordability, energy security, technological readiness and long-term decarbonisation rather than treating any one objective in isolation.
Security and Household Affordability
Greater domestic resilience can reduce Britain's exposure to international energy shocks and imported supply disruption.
However, this proposal does not claim that additional North Sea production will automatically or immediately lower household energy bills.
Household affordability is addressed through the wider energy and cost-of-living programme, including the forthcoming Social Energy Tariff and proposal to abolish domestic standing charges.
What Still Needs to Be Developed
The working manifesto establishes the principle rather than a complete implementation framework.
Further development would need to determine:
- How economic appropriateness should be assessed.
- What environmental tests future developments should satisfy.
- How future licensing decisions fit Britain's transition.
- What evidence should determine the pace at which hydrocarbons are replaced.
- What measurable milestones demonstrate that replacement technologies are ready to take a larger share of Britain's energy needs.
Questions for Public Scrutiny
- What economic test should determine whether further North Sea development is appropriate?
- What environmental conditions should continued development have to satisfy?
- Does using more domestic production during the transition strengthen energy security, or risk slowing the move away from hydrocarbons?
- What measurable milestones should determine when replacement technologies are capable of taking a larger share of Britain's energy needs?
You do not have to agree to contribute.
Source: Manifesto 1.1 Complete Working Master, Part V — Energy, Section 16, Major Promise 14. Day 14 / Proposal 13 is the campaign release identifier.