Rishi Sunak Faces Fresh Political Storm as Tory MP Quits Over North Sea Drilling Bill
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is hit with a major headache as former energy minister Chris Skidmore, MP for Kingswood, Gloucestershire, announces his resignation. Skidmore’s move sparks a by-election and piles pressure on Sunak’s government amid deep divisions over North Sea oil and gas policy.
Ex-Energy Boss Slams Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill
Skidmore, who once led the Government’s net zero review, slammed the proposed Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill in a fiery statement on X (formerly Twitter). He warned the legislation would drastically increase new oil and gas licences, pushing fossil fuel production in the North Sea.
“This Bill would in effect allow more frequent new oil and gas licences and the increased production of new fossil fuels in the North Sea. As the former energy minister who signed the UK’s net zero commitment by 2050 into law, I cannot vote for a Bill that clearly promotes the production of new oil and gas.”
Skidmore Quits Tory Whip, Triggers By-Election
Refusing to back the King’s Speech debate because of the Bill’s inclusion, Skidmore resigned from the party whip to make clear he won’t toe the Tory line on environmental policy. He says he’s stepping down from Parliament soon to give his voters a chance to choose a new MP.
“I therefore will be standing down from Parliament as soon as possible,” Skidmore confirmed, with his resignation expected when Parliament returns from its Christmas break on Monday.
Sunak Faces Growing Tory Split Over Green Policies
The by-election in Kingswood marks another challenge for Sunak’s premiership, highlighting rising unrest within the Conservative Party over climate and energy strategies. With Skidmore’s departure, the PM must now tackle both electoral uncertainty and party infighting over environmental agendas.
