Key facts
- UK Conservatives criticize Labour's ban on new North Sea oil and gas licenses.
- Kemi Badenoch calls the ban 'utter madness.'
- Conservatives argue untapped oil reserves could benefit the UK industry.
- The policy aims to reduce Britain's reliance on imports.
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, has strongly criticized the Labour government's recent decision to implement a permanent ban on new oil and gas licenses in the UK North Sea. Badenoch described the policy as 'utter madness,' arguing that billions of barrels of untapped oil could provide substantial benefits to the UK's energy industry and decrease the nation's dependence on foreign imports. The Conservative Party's stance contrasts with the ruling Labour government's move, which has also drawn criticism from UK offshore industry associations.