Donald Trump has set himself on a collision course with Keir Starmer by condemning Labour’s energy policy.
The president-elect said the UK government is making “a very big mistake” by planning to end drilling for oil in the North Sea.
He also made clear his opposition to offshore windfarms - something Labour strongly supports.
Trump’s comments, on his Truth Social platform, come just three weeks before he returns to the White House.
He said: “The UK is making a very big mistake. Open up the North Sea. Get rid of Windmills!”
He was commenting on an article in which US oil giant Apache said it was quitting the North Sea because of the windfall tax on its profits.
John Christmann, chief executive of the company’s parent firm APA, also said UK regulators had issued new rules that will require “substantial new emissions control investments” on facilities operating in the North Sea beyond 2029.
He said: “After six months of evaluation, we have concluded that the investment required to comply with these regulations… coupled with the onerous financial impact of the [windfall tax] makes production of hydrocarbons beyond the year 2029 uneconomic.”
Trump’s attack is a blow for the the prime minister, who is keen to establish good relations with the incoming US administration and therefore reluctant to criticise him.
Labour pledged in its election manifesto not to issue any new licences for drilling in the North Sea as part of the UK’s efforts to achieve net zero.
In July, a spokesperson for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero said: “As previously stated, we will not issue new licences to explore new fields. We will also not revoke existing oil and gas licences and will manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan.
“We are working with the North Sea Transition Authority to ensure a fair and balanced transition in the North Sea.”
HuffPost UK has contacted the department about Trump’s comments.
Caroline Simpson of the campaign group Warm This Winter said: “It’s enough to make billpayers blood boil seeing comments from the likes of Trump and Musk. A billionaire’s boys’ club with a vested interest in keeping the world hooked on expensive gas and oil.
“Let’s be clear, UK billpayers are spending over £700 more on energy than they did before the energy crisis, thanks largely to volatile fossil fuel prices.
“This shows why long term solutions are needed and with the rollout of renewables accelerating, 2024 was a turning point in getting the UK off expensive oil and gas, improving the country’s energy security and stabilising energy prices.
“That’s what scares those across the pond and that’s why the UK government needs to continue the momentum in 2025 to bring down the cost of energy bills for good.”
