Burnham vows North Sea oil decisions will come 'shortly' as Jackdaw ruling is described as imminent

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged that rulings on the Jackdaw and Rosebank North Sea projects will arrive "shortly", insisting his government is "not backing away" from either. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh confirmed a Jackdaw decision is imminent, while Rosebank will take "a bit longer". Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said ministers are staying tight-lipped to avoid repeating the Conservatives' legal blunders. Environmentalists are watching the outcome as a defining test of Burnham's climate credibility.

The two fields were originally approved by the Conservatives before courts ruled their full environmental impacts had not been assessed.

Alexander refused to confirm whether a final decision has actually been reached, saying Jackdaw is "necessarily a pretty closed box process" even within government.

First Minister John Swinney claimed GB Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, has done "literally, absolutely nothing" — a charge Alexander dismissed.