Today (3 September 2026) Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland MP Luke Myer urged Ministers to take a balanced, evidence-based approach to the North Sea offshore industry, warning that the debate needs “nuance” and cannot be reduced to simple slogans.

Speaking in Parliament today during a debate on Jackdaw and Rosebank, Luke said decisions about the UK’s energy future must be based on “evidence, rather than ideology”, and support Teesside jobs.

He said that Jackdaw and Rosebank are “materially different prospects”, with only Jackdaw “able to feed directly into our domestic market” and therefore improve energy security and reduce emissions.

It follows a visit to the Teesside Central Area Transmission System (CATS), which delivers around a quarter of the UK’s total gas production. It is classified as critical national infrastructure, as around 80% of households still rely on natural gas. Luke spoke with local workers about the role of the sector’s skills, supply chains and investment for the UK’s future energy system.

Luke has consistently argued that energy security, jobs, and the transition to cleaner energy must all be considered together. He has been a strong supporter of Teesside’s emerging clean energy industries, including carbon capture, hydrogen, wind, nuclear and sustainable aviation fuel. But he has also warned that the region’s existing energy workforce must not be left behind. During a parliamentary debate earlier this year, Luke highlighted the need for a genuinely fair transition for offshore workers, warning that new industries must grow quickly enough to provide opportunities for those whose jobs are affected by the declining North Sea basin. He warned that “we cannot see mass unemployment in the offshore industry while those opportunities are still nascent.”

As chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Carbon Capture, Luke has repeatedly argued that Teesside should remain at the heart of Britain’s energy economy, with the region’s industrial expertise once again helping power the country. He believes that Teesside’s future is not about moving away from energy, but leading the next generation of it.