Labour’s easing of sanctions on Russian oil sparked a furious Commons clash yesterday as Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir Starmer of “choosing to buy dirty Russian oil” instead of backing new North Sea licences.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, the Conservative leader repeatedly challenged the Prime Minister over Labour MPs voting against new UK oil and gas licences, before linking the issue to fresh sanctions measures announced against Russia.
Mrs Badenoch told the Commons: “Can the Prime Minister explain why oil from Russia is acceptable, but oil from Aberdeen is not?”
The exchange quickly became one of the most heated moments of the session, with the Prime Minister insisting the Government had actually strengthened sanctions on Moscow.
Sir Keir replied: "We also issued two targeted short-term licences to phase the new sanctions in and to protect UK consumers. That is standard practice. This Government have phased in sanctions in that way before, and the last Government used exactly the same technique when they introduced sanctions.”
Mrs Badenoch continued to press the issue, warning: “we are losing 1,000 jobs a month in oil and gas.”
She later told the Prime Minister: “He is now choosing to buy dirty Russian oil. That money will be used to fund the killing of Ukrainian soldiers. Isn't he ashamed?”
Sir Keir rejected the criticism and accused the Conservative leader of misrepresenting the sanctions regime.
He said: “This is a new package of sanctions. None of the existing sanctions are being lifted in any way, so this is not less pressure on Russia; it is more pressure on Russia. It is more pressure than there was the day before yesterday and more pressure than there was under the last Government.”
The Prime Minister also defended Labour’s wider energy policy, insisting oil and gas production in the North Sea would continue for years to come.
“There is drilling in the North sea. ... There is drilling, it is 24/7, and oil and gas are coming out. That will be important for many, many years to come.”
But Mrs Badenoch argued Labour’s refusal to back new licences was damaging jobs in energy communities including Aberdeen.
She said: “What the Prime Minister is doing is going to cost thousands more people their jobs, especially in cities such as Aberdeen that rely on oil and gas.”
The confrontation came after Labour MPs voted against new British oil and gas licences earlier this week, reigniting debate over the future of the North Sea sector and the UK’s wider energy security strategy.