“We need to encourage energy companies to go for more gas”

“We need to encourage energy companies to go for more gas”: The Prime Minister believes that oil and gas corporations should be encouraged to explore for additional gas.

“What he (Mr Starmer) would be doing is hitting the energy companies at precisely when we need to encourage them to go for more gas because we need to transition now to cleaner fuels.” Said Boris Johnson, Speaking in the House of Commons and responding to a suggestion by Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer that the government should inpose a windfall tax on the profits of energy companies.

“What they would do, and you know, this is a global problem Mr Speaker caused by the spike in gas prices, but what they would do is clobber the oil and gas companies right now with a tax that would deter investment in gas just when this country needs gas as we transition to green fuel.” He said during Prime Minister’s Questions.

“It would be totally ridiculous and it would raise prices for consumers.”

A few days ago, the Labour Party proposed a windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas firms in order to decrease the average family bill by £200.

This comes on the heels of rumours that the government is planning to approve six new oil and gas sites in the North Sea.

“There will continue to be ongoing demand for oil and gas over the coming years as we transition to cleaner, more secure forms of energy, generated in this country.” Told a BEIS spokesperson.

“As the Business Secretary has said, turning off our domestic source of gas overnight would put energy security, British jobs and industries at risk and we would be even more dependent on foreign imports.”

“The Prime Minister seems to have swallowed the oil and gas lobby’s bogus hype. He’s providing cover for big companies to pay out huge sums to shareholders from their massive profits whilst the public are left feeling the pinch.” Said Policy Director at Greenpeace UK, Dr Doug Parr, Reacting to Boris Johnson comments about a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.

“More oil and gas from the North Sea won’t change that — it will be sold to the highest bidder, may not even be used in UK, and will worsen the climate crisis already being felt around the world.”