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Donald Trump’s representative in the UK has criticised a clean energy deal championed by Ed Miliband, claiming it “will not resolve the UK’s energy needs”.
US ambassador Warren Stephens urged Sir Keir Starmer’s Government to exploit North Sea oil and gas, rather than the pact struck between the UK and European nations. His remarks echo Mr Trump’s own criticism of the UK’s intention to shift away from fossil fuels.
The Hamburg Declaration signed by Mr Miliband on Monday, along with counterparts from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway, was described as “historic” by the Department for Energy Security ad Net Zero.
The agreement means North Sea nations will deliver 100 gigawatts of joint offshore wind projects, including schemes connected to more than one country.
Energy Secretary Mr Miliband said the deal would help “get the UK off the fossil fuel rollercoaster and give us energy sovereignty and abundance”.
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US Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens urged the Government to take advantage of North Sea oil and gas (James Manning/PA) (PA Archive)
But on Tuesday, Mr Stephens said: “The Hamburg Declaration that was signed yesterday will not resolve the UK’s energy needs.
“The fact is that wind power is an unreliable method to meet the needs of the people of this country.
“The United States wants the strongest partner in the UK. That begins with taking an ‘all of the above’ approach to energy policy, including taking advantage of North Sea oil and gas reserves and bold action to expand nuclear energy.”
American firms have been involved in the North Sea oil and gas industry and the US is also the UK’s largest supplier of liquified natural gas (LNG).
Mr Trump used his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this month to criticise the UK’s North Sea policy.
He said: “The United Kingdom produces just one-third of the total energy from all sources that it did in 1999 – think of that, one-third – and they’re sitting on top of the North Sea, one of the greatest reserves anywhere in the world, but they don’t use it, and that’s one reason why their energy has reached catastrophically low levels, with equally high prices.”
The UK Government has committed not to issue new licences for oil and gas exploration and has a goal of a clean electricity system by 2030.