President Donald Trump has criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s energy policies, accusing the Labour Government of squandering the North Sea’s vast oil and gas resources and pushing up household energy bills.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday morning, the former US President said Britain was wasting a treasure chest of natural resources. He blamed the Government’s tax hikes and regulatory restrictions for deterring investment and driving energy prices higher.
Trump’s comments come just a day after a joint appearance with Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, where the two held an hour-long press conference. During the meeting, Trump urged the Prime Minister to cut taxes and tighten immigration controls, warning that failure to act could strengthen Nigel Farage’s political challenge at the next election.
At the centre of Trump’s criticism is the Labour Government’s decision to raise the windfall tax on oil and gas producers from 75% to 78% while extending the levy until 2030. The policy shift, combined with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s move to ban new drilling in the North Sea, has caused concern in the energy sector.
Miliband has defended the restrictions as essential to Britain’s transition to renewable energy and achieving net zero targets. However, critics argue the strategy risks undermining energy security and increasing reliance on foreign imports.
Trump tells UK to expand fossil fuel production
Trump has previously urged the UK to expand fossil fuel production, saying earlier this month that Starmer should get rid of the windmills in Scotland and focus on extracting more oil and gas from the North Sea.
Industry leaders have echoed Trump’s concerns. David Whitehouse, chief executive of Offshore Energies UK, wrote to the Prime Minister last week to call for a more pragmatic approach. He warned that the current policy trajectory could damage the UK’s energy independence and economic prospects.
“The industry is asking for a pragmatic conversation about the future of the North Sea which recognises and prioritises home-grown energy, the outcomes of consultations on licensing, future taxes, and the wider North Sea are of national importance,” White house said
