Britain can ‘do more’ to work with US to combat soaring energy prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, says No10 – following claims Rishi Sunak is poised to ‘announce major gas deal’ with America
- No10 says Britain can ‘do more’ to work with US to combat soaring energy prices
- Prime Minister reportedly poised to announce major gas deal with America
- It could see US sell billions of cubic metres of liquefied natural gas to Britain
Britain can ‘do more’ to work with the US to combat soaring energy prices, No10 said today – amid reports Rishi Sunak is close to clinching a major trans-Atlantic gas deal.
Downing Street said discussions were ongoing between Britain and the US on how to cooperate to reduce volatility in energy markets in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It came after the Daily Telegraph claimed the Prime Minister could announce details of an ‘energy security partnership’ with the US after the Cop27 climate change summit.
The newspaper said talks are in their final stages on an agreement that could see the US sell billions of cubic metres of liquefied natural gas to Britain over the next year.
It comes amid warnings of potential blackouts this winter after the war in Ukraine caused energy shortages.
Rishi Sunak, who addressed the Cop27 climate summit last night, is reportedly close to clinching a major gas deal with the US
It comes amid warnings of potential blackouts this winter after the war in Ukraine caused energy shortages
Asked this morning about the reports, the PM’s official spokesman pointed to recent commitments by the US and UK on ‘reducing global reliance on Russian fossil fuels’, as well as the ‘transition to the green economy’.
Rishi Sunak’s predecessor as PM, Liz Truss, and US President Joe Biden discussed the issues in their talks at the UN General Assembly in New York in September.
The spokesman said there would be ‘further discussions’ on energy markets at next week’s G20 summit of world leaders in Bali, Indonesia, but refused to comment on ‘speculative reports in more detail’.
‘We’ve been open with a number of countries – and the US is one – where we do feel there is more we can do to work together to help tackle some of these energy price spikes and the volatility that is being caused by Russia’s illegal war,’ the spokesman said.
He added: ‘I don’t have anything more to add at this moment, we are still discussing with the US what the right approach would be. I’ve seen the reports on that but at this stage I don’t have any more detail.’
Importing more fossil fuels while urging action to tackle climate change would leave Mr Sunak open to attacks from Labour.
But the strategy is perceived as being essential to guaranteeing energy security and preventing the lights from going out this winter.
The Telegraph said it had spoken to half a dozen current and former government figures familiar with the talks, with the UK side hoping around 10 billion cubic metres of liquefied natural gas can be imported.
The newspaper said a deal had been due to be announced on October 21, but this was scrapped after Ms Truss resigned as PM the day before.
It added an announcement could come in the next week or two and would be used by ministers to show that the UK is moving away from Russian-linked oil and gas imports and becoming more energy independent in the wake of Moscow’s invasion.
It would also shore up energy supplies amid warnings from National Grid of potential blackouts at peak times if there are problems importing energy supplies from Europe.
Critics questioned why the UK was prepared to import gas from the US, where fracking for shale gas is popular, when Mr Sunak had recommitted to a ban on fracking in Britain.
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