Deputy PM and Conservatives clash over North Sea jobs, defence spending and the cost of living
The main Conservative challenge came from Claire Coutinho, who accused the Government of putting ideology ahead of jobs and security. She asked why Labour was happy for Britain to get oil and gas from “Russia or Qatar but not from Aberdeen”, then pressed the Deputy Prime Minister on whether Labour’s North Sea policies were costing jobs in Aberdeen and threatening pay levels for oil and gas workers.
Mr Lammy replied that the Conservatives had themselves backed net zero before changing course, saying the Tories were “desperately chasing Reform”. He argued that the Government was not shutting down the North Sea, saying: “We are not turning off the taps.” He said oil and gas would remain part of a “mixed economy”, while the Government was also backing renewables and had secured “over £900 billion of investment” and “over 100,000 jobs in Scotland” supported by clean power.
Ms Coutinho then shifted to national security, saying the Energy Secretary had refused to meet the Prime Minister “on a matter of national security” and asking why he had not been sacked. Mr Lammy said the forthcoming defence investment plan would show how all departments, “including the Energy Department”, would contribute to defence, and insisted: “We will always put national security first.”
She later argued that half the Defence team had quit and accused the Government of finding money for projects abroad while refusing to back the North Sea. Mr Lammy said “more spending on defence is our No. 1 priority” and listed Labour’s record on workers’ rights, defence spending, childcare and energy bills. When she mocked the Government as “a Government on life support” and set out her own alternative of cutting welfare and backing the North Sea, he replied that the Conservatives were offering “very thin gruel” and said Labour was delivering “the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation”, “the biggest boost to defence spending since the cold war” and falling immigration.
The only other party leader intervention came from Daisy Cooper for the Liberal Democrats, who argued that the Treasury’s refusal to look at new ways of funding defence was undermining security. She urged the Government to consider “new defence bonds”, which she said could raise £20 billion over two years. Mr Lammy said the Government wanted to work with allies on defence, procurement and funding, and said those options were being explored as part of the Prime Minister’s G7 discussions.
Ms Cooper then raised Europe, asking whether Labour should “rip up” its old red lines on customs union and single market membership. Mr Lammy said he had been “proud” to return to meetings of European foreign secretaries, but added: “Our red lines remain.” He said the Government was instead focused on a sanitary and phytosanitary deal to lower prices, a youth experience scheme and cutting red tape for exporters.
Among backbench contributions, a number focused on the economy, public services and social cohesion. Dr Lauren Sullivan asked about town centres and small businesses, prompting Mr Lammy to promise more than £300 million for high streets and £1.5 million for Gravesham through the Pride in Place programme. Later, Claire Hanna raised violent disorder in Belfast and asked for a review of how paramilitarism is handled in Northern Ireland. Mr Lammy called the violence racist, said those responsible would face “the full force of the law”, and announced a further £24 million to tackle paramilitarism and online hate.
There were also exchanges on MND, AI and climate. Frank McNally asked for a national MND strategy, and Mr Lammy said the Government was investing in research, including “a world-first clinical trial” on remotely monitored ventilators. Ayoub Khan warned that driverless minicabs could threaten black cab and private hire drivers; Mr Lammy said innovation should not be blocked, but must be properly governed and licensed. John Whitby urged continued action on climate change, and Mr Lammy said the Government had restored the UK as a “global leader on climate action” and that the “net zero economy now supports 1.1m UK jobs”.
The session also featured repeated tributes to Jo Cox, Roy Hattersley and the Grenfell victims, with Mr Lammy and others referring to the need to tackle division and support community cohesion. Mr Lammy said Jo Cox’s legacy meant “neighbours coming together, differences set aside and communities choosing unity over division”.
AI-assisted recap of the official Hansard record, human-reviewed before publication. Quotes are verbatim — follow the links in the live feed to check each against Hansard. Spotted an error? Let us know.