The director of the British Chambers of Commerce has called on likely incoming prime minister Andy Burnham to proceed with extraction at the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas fields in the North Sea to mitigate employment losses in Scotland and the north-east.
Shevaun Haviland argued that utilizing domestic resources would be preferable to importing liquid gas, which she characterized as more costly and environmentally less favorable. She emphasized that the business organization, representing 50,000 companies employing 7.5 million people, supports the transition to clean energy but contends the shift is not being managed effectively. According to Haviland, the transition to offshore wind is not generating sufficient employment opportunities to absorb workers displaced by North Sea decline, and concerns have been raised about supply chains relocating overseas.
The decisions regarding these oil and gas fields are expected to signal the new administration’s energy priorities, with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband viewed as skeptical about approval. Haviland also pressed Burnham to address what she termed a “cost-of-doing-business crisis,” citing research indicating business costs have increased 70% over the preceding decade due to taxes, regulation, minimum wage requirements, and trade friction from Brexit.
The BCC director highlighted particular concerns about business rates and energy costs, noting that even before recent regional tensions, a quarter of member businesses reported struggling with energy bills. She cautioned against additional business taxation, arguing that economic growth rather than increased taxes represents the path forward fiscally. Regarding post-Brexit arrangements, Haviland aligned with other business leaders in stating that firms do not seek to reopen discussions about customs unions or single market membership, instead preferring pragmatic solutions to specific issues including agricultural trade deals and carbon border adjustment alignment.