Burnham faces pressure on North Sea oil as Khan demands climate commitment

The Prime Minister is under pressure from the London Mayor to clarify his position on North Sea oil extraction, as Sadiq Khan calls for a firm commitment to climate action.

According to the Guardian, Khan has directly challenged Andy Burnham to set out his stance on new oil and gas licences in UK waters. The request comes as environmental groups push the government to halt new fossil fuel projects in favour of renewable energy investment. The timing is pointed: Burnham came to office in July without a clear manifesto position on North Sea drilling, and the question of whether to grant new licences falls to him.

The machinery here is worth noting. A London mayor has no formal role in energy policy - that sits with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero - but Khan's intervention puts climate credentials on the record early in Burnham's premiership. The ask is simple: will new licences be granted or not? The answer shapes both the government's standing with environmental voters and its relationship with the North Sea industry, which employs tens of thousands in Scotland and sustains communities from Aberdeen to Great Yarmouth.

What to watch: the next licensing round is due before the end of the year. Whether Burnham grants new permits or imposes a moratorium will settle the question Khan has raised - and tell us which way this government leans when climate politics meets industrial reality.