SIR Keir Starmer today faced major union backlash over his plan to ban new oil and gas licences – but was showered with praise from Just Stop Oil.
During an appearance at the GMB Union conference in Brighton, the Labour leader was warned communities could be “decimated”.
Sir Keir Starmer is facing major backlash from unions over his plans to end all new oil and gas licences if Labour wins the next election
Just Stop Oil today published a rambling love letter to Sir Keir, thanking him for bowing to their demands
A conference delegate asked Sir Keir: “When the current fields in the North Sea are depleted and Scotland’s oil and gas jobs evaporate, what will you tell your members working in these sectors and in communities which will be decimated?”
In response the Labour leader insisted “oil and gas are going to be part of the mix for decades to come, into the 2050s.”
But doubling down, he added the UK must “seize the next generation of jobs in nuclear, in new nuclear, in renewables across the country”.
GMB chief Gary Smith argued Britain needs “plans not bans” to save jobs, adding the country requires a mix of energy sources including nuclear, renewables and hydrogen.
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Mr Smith said: “We have to fix and secure our energy supply if we are to face down threats from authoritarian regimes in the world and find a workable way to achieve net zero.
“But our future requires a mix of energy sources — new nuclear, renewables, hydrogen, and oil and gas. It would be a huge mistake to put all the nation’s eggs in one energy basket.”
A Cabinet source called Labour’s energy plans “stark raving bonkers”.
Meanwhile, Just Stop Oil published a letter praising and thanking “future Prime Minister” Sir Keir for bowing to their demands to ditch new oil if he gets to No.10.
The eco yobs said: “Committing to stop the suicidal madness of drilling for more oil and gas is the right thing to do.
“Without doubt, ending new oil and gas is the most important national imperative in Labour’s programme.”
However, after heaping Sir Keir with praise, the activists added an ultimatum.
They called on Labour’s chief to pledge to resign if the controversial policy isn’t enacted within six months of winning the next election.
“If you refuse to make this commitment or ignore this challenge, the country will draw its own conclusions, and Just Stop Oil will be seen as the real opposition to the criminal Conservative government,” the activist group said.
