Dale Vince, a prominent Labour Party donor and founder of green energy company Ecotricity, has called on Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to ban North Sea oil and gas exports as the Iran conflict continues to disrupt global energy supplies.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Vince argued it would be “bonkers” to keep shipping British crude overseas while households and businesses face mounting price pressure. “We can ban exports from the North Sea. China have done it,” he said, pointing to Beijing’s track record of prioritising domestic supply during periods of strain.
Britain currently produces around 53 million tonnes of crude oil annually, most of which goes to refineries in the Netherlands, Poland, and beyond. The country then imports roughly 51 million tonnes to fuel its own forecourts and power stations, leaving it fully exposed to global price swings.
That exposure has become acute since hostilities in the Gulf intensified last month. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has trapped about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, pushing Brent crude to approximately $109 a barrel from $77 at the start of the month. Wholesale gas has jumped by around three-quarters, with suppliers warning household energy bills will climb sharply.
The crisis has reignited debate over Britain’s energy security. Industry voices are pressing Miliband to accelerate domestic drilling and approve the contested Rosebank and Jackdaw fields, while reports suggest the Energy Secretary may approve Jackdaw but block Rosebank — a decision likely to anger both camps.
Vince opposes fresh expansion but wants existing operators given contracts for difference, a mechanism more common in renewables, to prevent them from walking away if prices collapse. He also criticised Britain’s growing reliance on the United States for crude imports, which now accounts for roughly 30% of UK supply.
“It alarms me to be reliant on the US for anything,” he said, describing the current American administration as “a very undependable regime.”
A government spokesman defended the current approach, saying Britain benefits from a strong and diverse mix of fuel supply. Officials noted UK refinery output of petrol from crude exceeded demand in 2025, leaving a surplus available for export.