Shevaun Haviland, director of the British Chambers of Commerce, has called on Andy Burnham to permit continued extraction of oil and gas from remaining North Sea reserves to mitigate employment losses in Scotland and the north-east. The BCC represents 50,000 businesses employing 7.5 million people. Decisions regarding the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields are expected to come before a Burnham administration in the coming weeks.
Haviland noted that the UK currently imports liquid natural gas at higher costs and with greater environmental consequences rather than utilizing domestic resources. She acknowledged broad business support for the transition to clean energy and offshore wind development, in which Britain maintains technological leadership. However, she expressed concern that the shift away from North Sea oil and gas is occurring faster than job creation in renewable energy sectors can accommodate displaced workers. The business community has flagged insufficient development of local supply chains to support new industries, with many components still sourced internationally.
The BCC leadership has raised alarm that regional economies could experience conditions similar to post-industrial coal mining areas if the transition is not better managed. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is reportedly skeptical about approving extraction at the disputed fields, setting up a potential clash within the incoming administration.
Haviland also pressed Burnham on broader economic concerns, citing research showing business operating costs have risen 70 percent over the past decade due to taxation, regulation, minimum wage increases, and trade complications from Brexit. She called for relief through business rates reform and expanded energy cost support schemes, warning that additional business taxation would prove counterproductive to economic growth and tax revenues.
On Brexit, Haviland indicated that businesses have moved beyond debate over rejoining EU trade arrangements, instead seeking pragmatic solutions to specific commercial issues. The BCC hopes for rapid completion of negotiations on agricultural deals, youth exchange programs, and alignment with EU carbon border mechanisms.
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