Keir Starmer calls Just Stop Oil's North Sea demands 'contemptible'

Keir Starmer has called Just Stop Oil's demands to 'turn off the taps' in the North Sea 'contemptible' as he tries to distance himself from the eco-group.

He added that Labour would not tear up the 100 new drilling licences Rishi Sunak plans to grant.

The Labour leader said he would only ban the granting of new licences to explore oil and gas fields in the North Sea as he seeks to give businesses certainty.

Writing in the Times, he sought to separate himself from the controversial climate group as the Tories attack Labour for accepting £1.5 million donations from the campaign group's backer Dale Vince.

Sir Keir criticised their demands to 'simply turn off the taps', arguing that it would create 'chaos' as existing fields are needed for a managed transition for 'decades to come'.