Opposition ratchets up pressure on government to support Rosebank ahead of Budget

Opposition parties are calling on Chancellor John Healey to cut green taxes, slash environmental red tape, and back North Sea oil in his first Budget.

The Conservatives warned Mr Healey not to use taxpayer money to help poorer households on welfare pay for rising energy bills, instead calling for moves that cut costs for everyone.

Reform UK set out dozens of measures that it claimed would help to generate jobs, including support for the Rosebank oil field and other North Sea projects, as well as policies such as a return to the wider use of imperial measurements and a ban on low-traffic neighbourhoods.

The government on Wednesday announced it had approved fresh drilling in the Jackdaw gas field, but Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh was yet to rule on the larger Rosebank oil project.

The Conservatives called for measures including the approval of Rosebank, the end of Labour’s ban on new North Sea licences and the scrapping of the energy profits levy on oil and gas firms.

Shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie said: “Working families need lower energy bills. They were promised £300 off by Labour at the last election, but in reality they have risen by £367.

“Yet instead of taking the tough decisions needed to get costs down for everyone, John Healey is contemplating another bailout for Benefits Street, leaving hardworking families high and dry.”

Reform’s plans would include scrapping a wide range of environmental regulations, cutting or removing the affordable housing requirement for new developments entirely, support for new runways at Heathrow and Gatwick, and legislating so new cars do not require an MOT until they have been on the road for four years, rather than three.

Robert Jenrick, Reform’s Treasury spokesperson, said: “Everything reported so far suggests this will be a ‘manana budget’, with John Healey dodging the tough decisions our country needs.

“We can’t continue like this. The country can’t wait 10 years for Andy Burnham to work out a plan – we need action now.

“Reform would bring forward more than 60 job-creating measures in our first budget to kickstart the economy. These common-sense policies cost the taxpayer nothing – it’s a no-brainer.

“Reform UK has the plan to make the economy work again: spend less, tax less, borrow less and finally put the British people first.”