Yahoo Sports ‘Eco zealots’ at Just Stop Oil are ‘writing Keir Starmer’s energy policy’, warns Rishi Sunak
Labour’s energy policy is being written by eco-zealots and will benefit Vladimir Putin’s regime, Rishi Sunak has said.
Speaking on a trip to Washington, the Prime Minister said Sir Keir Starmer’s ban on new North Sea oil and gas licences would lead to “energy surrender”.
In a strongly-worded attack, he said Labour’s policy of “weakness and dependency” would only benefit “dictators and autocrats”.
Mr Sunak spoke out after it emerged that Labour had received £1.5 million from one of the biggest backers of Just Stop Oil.
Dale Vince, a green energy entrepreneur, has given Labour the money since 2014.
The Tories have demanded the party hand the money back, arguing it legitimises Just Stop Oil’s disruptive tactics.
Protests by the environmental group, which wants the government to halt new licences for the exploration of oil and other fossil fuels in the UK, include blocking roads and disrupting sporting events.
Sir Keir has previously described Just Stop Oil protesters as “arrogant” and “wrong” - and the party claims the group has no impact on its policy making.
But the Prime Minister rejected this - suggesting Labour’s North Sea oil and gas ban was very similar to the demands made by Just Stop Oil.
Asked whether Labour needed to come clean about how its policies are being shaped, Mr Sunak said: “It does appear that these kind of eco zealots at Just Stop Oil are writing Keir Starmer’s energy policy and, not content with disrupting our summer and cherished sporting events, they are essentially leading us into an energy surrender.
“My view is we should focus on energy security, not weakness and dependency which seems to be the Labour Party’s policy.
“They are putting ideology ahead of jobs, ahead of investment, and ahead of our energy security - I think that is wrong and it’s not the right policy for the UK.”
He added: “It’s a completely bizarre policy which says ‘we won’t ban oil and gas, we’ll just ban British oil and gas’.
“The only people that benefit from Keir Starmer’s energy policy are dictators and autocrats like Vladimir Putin.”
‘Job-destroying recklessness’
Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, also attacked Labour over the donations and accused Sir Keir of copying Just Stop Oil’s “job-destroying” policies.
“Adopting their policy to block new oil and gas is job-destroying recklessness, and it’s hard-working people unfortunately who will be left paying the price,” he told the Commons.
Labour has pledged to block all new domestic oil and gas developments and invest in renewables if it wins power.
But the plan has been vigorously attacked by the unions.
A spokeswoman for Sir Keir said: “Keir has been outspoken in his condemnation of Just Stop Oil who he believes have put lives and livelihoods at risk. The idea that they have influenced our policy is for the birds.
“The modern Labour Party doesn’t bow to fringe lobbies or extremists - every position we take and everything we do is firmly focused on providing security and opportunity for hard-working Brits.”
