He made his comments after Mr Burnham left the door open for future North Sea drilling and confirmed he told Mr Trump “we can’t ignore” the resources there. Mr Burnham said he would “take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea”. Labour’s 2024 manifesto said the party would not issue new North Sea licences, but Mr Burnham appeared to indicate a shift in stance. Mr Trump had already talked up a change in policy that he anticipated under Mr Burnham before the former Greater Manchester mayor took office. “When you look at the UK, they have one of the best energy fields in the world, North Sea oil.