A Carlisle politician has contributed to the criticism of the government’s decision to greenlight a new oil rig in the UK.

The Rosebank oil field has been granted development and production consent by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA).

The NSTA said consent has been given by the oil and gas regulator to owners Equinor and Ithaca Energy, following the acceptance of the Environmental Statement.

The Rosebank field, which lies north-west of Shetland and contains up to 350 million barrels of oil, is currently one of the largest untapped discoveries in UK waters.

An NSTA spokesperson said: “We have today approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan which allows the owners to proceed with their project.

“The FDP is awarded in accordance with our published guidance and taking net zero considerations into account throughout the project’s lifecycle.”

Rosebank could produce 69,000 barrels of oil per day, about 8% of the UK’s projected daily output between 2026 and 2030, and could also produce 44 million cubic feet of gas every day, according to Equinor.

The government welcomed the decision and said it has been subject to extensive scrutiny by the regulators, and will be in line with the natural decline of the North Sea basin.

But environmental campaigners hit out at the decision.

Greenpeace UK climate campaigner Philip Evans said: “Rishi Sunak has proven once and for all that he puts the profits of oil companies above everyday people.

“We know that relying on fossil fuels is terrible for our energy security, the cost of living, and the climate.

“Our sky-high bills and recent extreme weather have shown us that.”

Adding to these concerns was Gavin Hawkton, Carlisle’s Green Party candidate for the next general election.

He said he was deeply concerned over the approval and that it jeopardises the UK’s climate target commitments.

He also said it will brings profits for business, but costs for the taxpayer: “Despite the potential for enormous profits, the development costs are set to be shouldered by the taxpayer while Equinor and Ithaca Energy stand to reap the benefits.

“It’s important to remember that oil is traded on the international market.

“This development will not reduce domestic costs or our reliance on global oil markets.”

He also said there’s ‘flimsy’ opposition where it’s warranted: “There is a worrying lack of political opposition at the moment.

“Labour could provide meaningful opposition by promising to rescind the drilling license if they were in government.

“At the moment they have stated they would honour any licences that have already been granted meaning this would still go ahead.

“With the right political will, Cumbria could lead in renewable energy, facilitating economic growth and job opportunities in our area while advancing towards a sustainable future.”