The UK government approved drilling at the Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea on October 21, 2026, clearing the way for gas production to begin by the end of that month, according to BBC News Science.
The Guardian reported that Shell lobbied in favour of the project, while environmental campaigners and a number of Labour MPs opposed it. The approval drew attention partly because Labour's 2024 election manifesto included a pledge to ban new North Sea drilling licences. The Jackdaw project, however, rests on an existing licence rather than a new one. The companies behind it sought environmental approval under that existing licence, a distinction the government used to separate the decision from the manifesto commitment.
The Rosebank oilfield project is being decided on separately, The Guardian said.