Andy Burnham postpones Jackdaw gas field approval until after by-election
Mayor Andy Burnham has delayed the decision on the Jackdaw North Sea gas project until the autumn, waiting for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election and the Labour conference.
Andy Burnham announced that the green light for the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea will be deferred until after the Holborn and St Pancras by-election and the upcoming Labour conference, moving the decision from an expected Monday to the autumn. He said the timing aims to prevent alienating the party’s left-leaning members ahead of the vote. Lord Jim O’Neill, a former Treasury minister who advised Burnham’s Makerfield campaign, cautioned that investors are already nervous, pointing to a 0.25% rise in gilt yields in a single day—a level not seen since the Liz Truss era.
He warned that continued uncertainty could raise mortgage rates and undermine fiscal credibility. The delay occurs amid concerns about a looming gas shortage, but Burnham’s office has not provided a specific new deadline. The move underscores the interplay between energy policy and electoral strategy in the current political climate.
Why it matters
The postponement links energy approval to election timing, highlighting how political calculations can affect energy security and market confidence.
How this story developed
- Sep 1 Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Address Commons on First Day Back
- Sep 3 Burnham announced a plan to extend devolution to all parts of England and to increase public control of utilities.
- Sep 3 Labour moved to refer Reform UK to police over the alleged foreign‑donation breach.
- Sep 4 Bond yields surged to their fastest rise since the 2022 mini‑budget, wiping out £12 billion of fiscal headroom.
- Sep 4 Metropolitan Police began assessing the allegations.
- Sep 4 Farage called the allegations "loose pub talk" as Reform UK opened an internal inquiry and other parties referred the case to police.
- Sep 4 Addressing the conference hall, the Reform leader said “that poor young girl, she looked like she was going to do herself an injury”, before adding “boring, boring, boring”.
- Sep 5 James Orr and Dan Jukes were permanently suspended from their positions after the undercover footage was broadcast.
- Sep 6 Dan Jukes and James Orr resigned pending an internal investigation.
- Sep 6 Burnham pledged to transfer failing utilities into public ownership.
- Sep 6 John Healey will launch a £150 million fund aimed at supporting university spin-outs and other high-growth companies across northern England.
- Sep 7 Healey also pledged steps to curb borrowing costs, energy bills, regulation and labour expenses on UK businesses.
- Sep 9 Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he will not trim social security programmes to meet the 3 % of GDP defence spending goal and gave no timetable for reaching it.
- Sep 9 Burnham publicly rejected the welfare‑cut funding plan.
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