Musicians urge Burnham to reject Rosebank
Analysis based on 7 articles · First reported Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 17, 2026
The event could influence UK government decisions on Rosebank and Jackdaw, potentially delaying or blocking significant oil and gas investments by Adura Onashile, affecting the UK energy sector and related supply chains. Public pressure from high-profile artists may increase regulatory scrutiny and reputational risk for fossil fuel companies, but immediate market impact is limited as no final decision has been made.
More than 200 musicians and artists, including Brian Eno, Massive Attack, Thom Yorke, Robert Smith, and Alexander Wang, signed an open letter to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to reject the Rosebank oil field and Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. The letter argues that approving these projects would fail to lower energy bills or improve energy security because most oil would be exported, and would exacerbate climate change. The consultations for Rosebank and Jackdaw recently closed, and the government is deciding their fate. The artists cite record heatwaves, wildfires, and their impact on live events as reasons to oppose fossil fuel expansion. Campaign groups like Stop Rosebank and Fossil Free London have also protested. The United Kingdom — Department for Energy Security and Net Zero defended the projects, citing jobs and energy security. The projects were previously approved by the Conservative government but quashed after a Greenpeace legal challenge, pending further climate assessments.
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