Over 200 Musicians Tell Andy Burnham to Block Rosebank Oil Drilling

Brian Eno, Massive Attack and Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie are among 211 artists calling on prime minister Andy Burnham to block plans for new oil drilling in the North Sea.

The letter, also signed by David Gray, Bicep, The Cure’s Robert Smith and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, argues the Rosebank oilfield off the coast of Scotland will not lower household bills or improve energy security because most of the oil will be exported.

The decision over ​Rosebank will “define Burnham’s climate legacy”, it added. 

“The climate crisis is no longer something we fear for future generations; it is shaping our lives today,” the letter reads. “Heatwaves are disrupting schools, workplaces, hospitals, transport networks, festivals and live events.”

Other signatories include three members of Radiohead – Thom Yorke, Ed O’Brien and Philip Selway – as well as Anna Calvi and Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners.

At least 2,877 people have died in heatwaves in the UK this summer, the UK Health Security Agency estimates, while emergency hospital admissions reached record highs in May, June and July.

Last year, while still mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham publicly supported the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, describing it as a “lifeline”.

But since entering No 10 he has said there needs to be a “pragmatic approach” to oil and gas drilling. The government’s consultation for Rosebank ended on Monday, while a consultation for a proposed gasfield off the coast of Aberdeen called Jackdaw ended last week. 

Eno, who co-founded the climate charity EarthPercent, said: “Andy Burnham has previously stood with artists and campaigners calling for an end to fossil fuel expansion.

“So he has a choice to make. He can stand with the fossil fuel industry and approve Rosebank, or he can stand with the people who will live with the consequences of that decision.

“We are already seeing what a hotter world looks like, with record heat and devastating wildfires across Britain and Europe. At this point, continuing to expand fossil fuel production isn’t pragmatism, it’s a failure to face reality.”

Campaigners from Fossil Free London staged a protest at the Treasury on Monday, holding empty harvest baskets to highlight the threat that recent droughts pose to Britain’s food security.

Rosebank would produce an estimated 250m tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime, about 70% of the UK’s entire annual emissions.