Ann: UK Southern Gas Basin - Operational Update, page-58

I agree, and I’m grateful for the opinions, analysis and thoughtful input given here by both (and a few others too) over a long period of time.

Notwithstanding some IR/general management failings by HHR, the situation we find ourselves in right now is very much one caused by the external political environment. It’s not logical or easily predictable. I consider myself reasonably astute when it comes to politics, yet I also did not foresee UK Labour sticking to its guns with this sheer madness - or the Conservatives raiding the cookie jar for a further period with the windfall profits tax extension. I expected some softening & concessions by now, especially given the heat the politicians are taking from Scottish workers and their own branches & allies.

One of Labour’s biggest political donors is the union representing oil & gas workers, and it is really quite extraordinary to witness the party still claiming to represent the working trades while putting out policy that will negatively impact tens of thousands of O&G jobs (plus support industries) in and around the North Sea. It makes absolutely no sense, given that the transition to renewables cannot occur overnight or even over one election cycle.

So I’m certainly not blaming posters here for reverting to logic, balance and optimism in their posts - characteristics unfortunately now proven missing from government and opposition policy in the UK. It’s a ludicrous race to the bottom as the Kistos boss said.