AdvertisementTrump said on Wednesday: “The new gentleman [Burnham], when I spoke to him, he said he’s going to open up the North Sea.” Burnham’s predecessor Keir Starmer clashed with Trump over his reluctance to drill for more oil and gas in the North Sea, even amid growing energy security concerns. Supporters of North Sea expansion suggest new drilling licences would help create jobs and support British industry. He was determined, as Starmer’s energy secretary, for the country to reach its Net Zero by 2050 goal. Labour’s 2024 manifesto also promised voters it would not issue any new licences for further extraction in the North Sea – and Burnham has vowed to stick to that set of pledges.