Unite warns Labour that Britain has just 12 days of gas in storage and demands nationalisation of Rough facility

Unite has called on Labour to step in and rescue the Rough gas storage facility off the Yorkshire coast, warning that its shutdown by next April would leave Britain dangerously vulnerable as conflict with Iran disrupts Middle East gas supplies. Sharon Graham, the union's general secretary, said the public would never forgive the government if the facility closes and energy supply becomes "even more risky in an increasingly uncertain world." Rough currently accounts for roughly half of Britain's total gas storage capacity but has been sitting idle amid a funding dispute with operator Centrica. A minister this week told Centrica it has "deep pockets" and can make its own commercial decisions — a position Unite has flatly rejected.

Centrica is seeking a 'cap and floor' pricing guarantee to unlock a £2bn expansion that it says would create 4,000 jobs and make Rough the world's largest facility for storing methane and hydrogen.

Closure would directly eliminate 100 skilled North Sea jobs and put a further 350 supply chain roles at risk, Unite says.

Unite general secretary Simon Coop warned the government must keep Rough open "at all costs" — including public ownership if no deal can be reached.