Trade union leaders, representatives and activists from across the UK are calling on the Labour government to reject the proposed Rosebank oil field, warning it would undermine climate commitments, fail workers in the long term, and risk contributing to human rights abuses abroad.

Major unions and more than 1,900 additional trade unionists published the open letter on 14 May 2026. This follows a year of union climate action which the TUC backed after COP30.

The unions supporting the letter include:

• UNISON.
• NEU (National Education Union).
• PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union).
• CWU (Communication Workers Union).
• UCU (University and College Union).
• Equity.
• FBU (Fire Brigades Union).
• BFAWU (Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union).
• IWGB (Independent Workers Union of Great Britain).
• UVW (United Voices of the World).

The unions represent firefighters, ambulance staff, network management in gas sector, teachers, nurses, cleaners, civil servants and more. They stress that Rosebank is a ‘climate-wrecking project’ set to produce CO2 equivalent to 70 percent of UK annual emissions. This makes it incompatible with the UK’s obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.

The signatories also argue that approving Rosebank will stall the UK’s energy transition and leave Scotland’s oil and gas workers at risk.

Jobs in the industry have more than halved over the past decade. To date, Rosebank’s rig was built in Dubai, then retrofitted in Norway – something which unions have called a betrayal.

The trade unionists behind the letter stress that the UK must focus on the long-term wellbeing of workers. It needs to invest in the clean energy industries of the future, creating secure, long-term jobs to support workers to transition.

Rosebank – huge risk, negligible benefit

Rosebank has faced increasingly intense political and public opposition in recent years, given the field will do nothing to provide energy security or lower bills in the UK at a time when the nation gears up for yet another conflict-driven price shock.

Despite repeated claims since Trump and Netanyahu’s war on Iran began, new oil and gas fields like Rosebank will not reduce the UK’s reliance on gas imports. In fact, even if Rosebank gets the green light, it will only reduce our national dependency by 1%.

The field’s reserves are mainly oil for export, set to sell on the international market. They will not power British cars or industry, with the profits benefiting Shell and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund while the UK taxpayer effectively covers most of the development costs thanks to huge tax breaks.

The project could also send over £200m towards Delek Group – an Israeli fuel conglomerate that the UN flagged for human rights violations in Palestine. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign has warned the UK government that it risks breaching its own obligations under international laws on these grounds, should it allow Rosebank to go ahead.

With a government decision due over the next couple of months, trade unionists are urging more members and organisations to sign on. You can read the letter in full here.

Andrea Egan, general secretary of UNISON, commented:

With the Iran war, UNISON members are more worried than ever about their energy bills and transport costs. New oil fields won’t do anything to reduce the prices they pay in the coming months; they will delay action for real energy security and climate justice through a shift to renewables.

At the same time, the likelihood that Rosebank will lead to significant losses for the UK Treasury, while corporations, including one linked to Israeli war crimes, pocket billions, should outrage us all. I know it outrages public service workers.

The government needs a genuine focus on how we get affordability now, get a safe and sustainable future, and get real just transition for workers.

This starts with investing in those public services that pave the way to a low carbon economy and recognising that jobs in Education, Health, Social Care alongside the many other sectors UNISON organise in are inherently Green jobs.

That’s why UNISON says no to Rosebank.

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Steve Wright, general secretary of the FBU, said:

Firefighters are on the front line dealing with the wildfires and floods which are more frequent and dangerous because of climate change. There is no option for a safe future other than a transition away from fossil fuels.

We also know that companies extracting oil and gas from Rosebank would sell their product at the highest price on the global market to maximise profits. So the way to shield the UK from future oil price shocks is not North Sea drilling but a transition to renewable energy.

Sarah Woolley, general secretary of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, commented:

Whether it’s working in kitchens in heatwaves or seeing climate change contribute to rising food prices, our members can see that climate change is a trade union issue.

The government can choose to expand North Sea drilling by approving Rosebank and funnelling more money to oil company shareholders, or they can focus on solutions to tackle the climate crisis, create jobs and ensure our energy is affordable.

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Featured image via the Canary

By The Canary

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Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham announced his intention to stand for parliament on Thursday afternoon as he sets his eyes on Number 10. (Alamy)

4 min read4 hr

Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced his intention to stand as an MP in Makerfield in order to return to Parliament and potentially pave a path to No 10, as calls by Labour MPs for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down grow.

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In a statement on X, Burnham announced he will attempt to stand in the seat after the Labour MP in the constituency, Josh Simons, said he would step down to pave the way for Burnham to run as an MP.

“I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election,” said Burnham.

“I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years. I care deeply about it and its people. I know they have been let down by national politics.”

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Burnham also said he wanted people to “come back together as a Labour movement”, and called for giving the prime minister and the government “space and stability” while the by-election takes place.

“Millions are struggling and they need the Labour government to succeed. It has already made changes to make life better for them in its first two years,” he said.

“After this week, we owe it to people to come back together as a Labour movement, giving the prime minister and the government the space and stability they need as the by-election takes place.”

The Manchester mayor also thanked Simons for stepping down, and said he recognised “the difficult decision taken by Josh Simons and the sacrifice he and his family are making.”

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“I have worked closely with him as Mayor on issues like flooding and illegal waste dumping and have seen first-hand how effective he has been,” said Burnham.

“He has put the communities of Makerfield first, made a real difference for them and should take great pride in that.”

Burnham also said he would “not take a single vote for granted” and would “work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency”. 

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The next hurdle for Burnham, aside from winning the by-election, is getting the backing of Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) – which blocked his recent bid to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election. 

The NEC’s argument for blocking Burnham in Gorton and Denton officially was not wanting an unnecessary by-election in Manchester for the mayoralty, which Burnham currently holds.

However, it was also widely seen as a bid by the prime minister to keep Labour’s most popular politician and possible contender for No 10 out of Parliament in the event of a leadership race. 

Burnham’s announcement came after a dramatic day in Westminster, which saw Health Secretary Wes Streeting resign, saying the party currently has a “vacuum” instead of “vision”, and “drift” instead of “direction” – and that Labour’s heavy local election losses last week were “unprecedented”. 

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There had been mounting speculation since the local election losses on Thursday that Streeting would launch a direct challenge against the prime minister; however, he stopped short of doing so in his resignation letter. 

While Streeting criticised Starmer’s leadership – stating “too often” other people had ended up “falling on their swords” for the prime minister, and suggesting he did not listen to backbenchers and had a “heavy-handed approach to dissenting voices” – he stopped short of a direct challenge. 

Instead, Streeting said he was supportive of a process to replace Starmer that was “broad” – indicating a desire to include Burnham in the process, with speculation abounding that Streeting does not have the necessary 81 MPs backing him to mount a formal challenge. 

“It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates,” said Streeting. “I support that approach and I hope that you will facilitate this.”

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Streeting’s calls for Starmer to step down join almost 100 Labour MPs backing the PM’s departure, with senior Labour MP Jess Phillips resigning as a minister on Wednesday, joining a small but growing number of government ministers calling for Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure. 

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told Sky News on Thursday afternoon that the Cabinet was behind Starmer, and that now was the opportunity to “draw a line under all of this”. 

“The prime minister has my full support, and I’m really sorry to see Wes go,” said Phillipson.

“He has been a brilliant health secretary. He’s done a fantastic job, and we saw that today with the NHS waiting list numbers that are really encouraging and what people want to see. But I fundamentally disagree with the position he’s taken.”

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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz launched a sharp attack on young Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, inciting against him and demanding his club take a public stance, following him raising the Palestinian flag during the Spanish League title celebrations.

In a post via Twitter, Katz accused the Spanish player of “incitement against Israel and spreading hatred,” considering his solidarity with Palestine to be “support for terrorism,” according to his claim, before calling on Barcelona to “disavow” the actions of its player and affirm that there is no place for what he described as “incitement.”

The Israeli minister’s statements came days after Lamine Yamal appeared waving the Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s celebration parade in the streets of the Catalan city on an open-top bus, before posting a picture of himself with the flag on his Instagram account, which sparked wide interaction and great praise on social media platforms.

In contrast, the player received official support within Spain, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended him during a press conference on Tuesday, stressing that “Spain recognised the State of Palestine.”

Furthermore, the Palestinian Football Association sent a thank you letter to Yamal, in appreciation of his position and solidarity with the Palestinian cause, while his appearance with the Palestinian flag aroused a wide wave of anger within Israeli circles, including journalists, fans, and activists on social media platforms.

Yamal is considered one of the most prominent rising talents in world football, having won three Spanish League titles since his promotion to the Barcelona first team in 2023, an unprecedented achievement for a player his age in the history of the Catalan club.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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BANGOR, Maine — Vice President JD Vance took his fraud-fighting tour to Maine on Thursday, attempting to cast President Donald Trump and Republicans as responsible stewards of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars in a pivotal purple state swing district.

The speech provided an opportunity for Vance — one of the administration’s top communicators — to throw out red meat to the MAGA base. He blasted Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, blaming a rise in fraud in the state on her and former President Joe Biden. He claimed Maine was “maybe the bronze medalist” for fraud in the U.S., trailing only Minnesota and California.

“Thankfully, one of them has already been kicked to the curb and one is on her way out the door,” Vance said, speaking in a hangar at the Bangor airport steps away from Air Force Two.

But hanging heavy over Vance’s remarks — and unsaid in them — was the growing discontent voters feel as Trump’s war with Iran propels inflation to a three-year high, and the White House pushes for an unprecedented $1.5 trillion in Pentagon funding from taxpayers.

Gontran Jean, who came to see Vance speak, told POLITICO he’s “not happy about” rising prices stemming from the war — but added, “we don’t really have a choice.” He said he would back Vance if he runs for president in 2028.

Vance also used his visit to offer an olive branch to Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins — a frequent Trump critic who earlier this week voted with Democrats to try and rein in Trump’s war powers. Back in January, Trump thrashed Collins and other Republican senators who voted with Democrats to curtail his Venezuela incursion, saying they “should never be elected to office again.”

Collins wasn’t present for Vance’s trip, with a spokesperson citing her perfect attendance for Senate votes. But Vance wasn’t bothered — and even heaped praise on the moderate senator.

“Here’s the thing I’ll say about Susan Collins, is sometimes I get frustrated with Susan Collins, I almost wish that she was more partisan,” Vance said. “But the thing I love about Susan is she is independent, because Maine is an independent state. And frankly, if she was as partisan as I sometimes wish that she was, she would not be a good fit for the people of Maine.”

It’s the latest example of a needle Vance attempts to thread between Trump’s impulses and the political realities on the ground. Collins faces a tight-looking general election contest with populist Democratic candidate Graham Platner that could partly decide the balance of the Senate.

Vance’s speech was also the latest in a series of recent visits the presumed MAGA heir made to key states ahead of a potential 2028 presidential bid, including Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Arizona. Vance maintains he’s thinking only about the present and not future political ambitions.

Bangor sits in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, which broke for Trump by more than 9 points in 2024 but has been held by Democratic Rep. Jared Golden since 2019. Last year, Golden announced he would not run for reelection, opening up a crowded primary for Democrats and a seat Republicans tabbed as a high chance to flip despite mounting headwinds for the party.

Vance in his remarks shouted out Paul LePage, Maine’s former Republican governor and the frontrunner in the district, and used the opportunity to hammer home his fraud-busting message.

The vice president called LePage “the biggest advocate for your tax dollars and the biggest threat to fraudsters that ever existed in the state of Maine.” Vance said “fraud has festered in Maine because this guy is no longer the governor.” In his speech before Vance took the stage, LePage vowed a renewed push to end fraud, which received raving enthusiasm from the audience.

“Let’s kick Janet Mills to the curb, and let’s send Paul LePage to Washington,” Vance said.

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Two Just Stop Oil supporters who sprayed Heathrow departure boards with orange paint during the Oil Kills international uprising to end fossil fuels in July 2024 have been found guilty in a retrial after the jury in an earlier trial failed to reach a majority decision.

Phoebe Plummer and Jane Touil were appearing before Judge Duncan at Isleworth Crown Court for the second time on a charge of criminal damage over £5,000 for their action on 30 July 2024 to demand a fossil fuel treaty to end oil and gas by 2030.

The jury took four-and-a-half hours to reach a majority verdict of 10-2. Following the verdict, Touil said:

Since I took action, global fossil fuel use and emissions have continued to rise. More than ever, we need a global fossil fuel treaty to help governments rapidly phase out fossil fuels.

What we do at this moment in history matters. But there is a difference between laws and morality. The courts apply the law made by powerful people. Morals come from within. It is our morals that give us our conscience. I have always tried to live according to my conscience.

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Plummer said:

The climate crisis is the greatest injustice that humanity has ever faced. We should all consider what to do at this time. No individual caused this crisis and no one is solely responsible for stopping it. But we can choose what we do to alleviate suffering.

I feel compelled to act to be a responsible citizen, a loving aunt and a good person. It compels me to hope for a better future and one where my nephew grows up.

I didn’t think the action would change government policy. But non violent civil resistance is a necessary part of tackling the climate crisis and I’m grateful and proud to have been part of that.

Plummer was remanded for 58 days and Touil for 14 days following the 2024 action in which the pair used fire extinguishers to spray diluted water-based paint in Heathrow Terminal 5 including at the departure boards. The Crown alleged that the action caused £8,000 worth of damages and that three of the display screens needed to be replaced.

Judge ruled out various defences for Heathrow action

At trial, Judge Duncan ruled out several legal defences for the action including those of ‘reasonable excuse’ under Articles 10 and 11 of the ECHR, ‘necessity’ and ‘self defence’ on the grounds that the threat from climate change was not proximate enough and the actions too far removed from the threat.

The defendants were allowed to argue belief in consent: that they honestly believed the owners of Heathrow would have consented to the damage if they knew of its circumstances. However, evidence of the relevant circumstances was to be limited to the fact that it was a climate protest with all evidence about the scale and urgency of the climate crisis ruled ‘irrelevant and therefore inadmissible’.

In giving evidence, Touil said:

I genuinely and sincerely believed that if the shareholders [of Heathrow] had a full understanding of the situation we are in they would have given their consent to our action.

Most people believe there is something that is wrong with climate but not many people have access to the full situation because the fossil fuel industry has used their immense wealth to ensure that governments do not act and it is not reported in the mainstream media.

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So I don’t know if shareholders have a full understanding, but I know that if they did, they would be doing all in their power to stop fossil fuels because there will be no business as usual, no functioning society, half the population could be wiped out along with 50% of global GDP. I think shareholders want to protect their investment but they also want a future for their kids.

In her evidence Plummer said:

I want to make it very clear that this was not a protest against Heathrow, or anyone flying through Heathrow that day. It’s true that the aviation industry is especially harmful to the climate in terms of emissions, though it is a small number of frequent fliers and private jet users who cause the vast majority of this harm, not families who save up for a holiday once a year.

But this wasn’t about getting people to stop flying. I made this individual change to live in line with my values, but honestly I know that it’s pretty inconsequential. Even if we all woke up tomorrow and stopped flying and went vegan, it would be like mopping up a spill from an overflowing bath whilst leaving the tap on.

All individual changes are like this when we are facing a systemic issue. If fossil fuels are extracted from the ground, then they will all be burnt, even if it’s not on a flight that you’re on. We need systemic change, that has always been Just Stop Oil’s demand.

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My intention was not to cause damage. My intention was to take part in an act of nonviolent civil resistance, raising a serious alarm bell to the catastrophic future in store for us if we persist in our addiction to fossil fuels.

Featured image via Just Stop Oil

By The Canary

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Occupation soldiers have murdered 16-year-old Palestinian Yusuf Kaabneh in the occupied West Bank for trying to stop extremist settlers stealing his father’s sheep. The boy was murdered near Sinjil, by IOF troops protecting the settlers as they stole the family’s livelihood.

150+ attacks a month in West Bank

Settlers committed at least 1,800 attacks during 2025, attacking Palestinian dwellings, crops and water sources and stealing livestock, as well as attacking people. The occupation has murdered more than one child a week since the beginning of 2025 and wounded over 850 others:

Israeli settlers reportedly stole this man’s sheep. When his 16-year-old son confronted them, an Israeli soldier shot the boy dead. pic.twitter.com/3yoNU8iXbU

— AJ+ (@ajplus) May 14, 2026

Israeli troops, courts and the whole apartheid state system protect the perpetrators, who act with impunity and inhumanity.

Israel is a terror state and we must not turn our eyes or condemnation away from its crimes.

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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Eurovision bosses have spoken out after fans noticed that pro-Palestine protests had been cut from the Israeli act’s performance video on the contest’s official YouTube channel.

On Tuesday night, Israel’s Eurovision representative Noam Bettan sang his entry Michelle during the live semi-finals in Basel, Austria.

During the opening section of his live performance, chants of “stop the genocide” – and, reportedly, “free Palestine” – could be heard coming from the audience.

However, when footage of Noam’s rendition was uploaded to YouTube, it was quickly noticed that Eurovision had removed the audio of these protests.

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A spokesperson for the contest told Middle Eastern Eye that this decision was made as they “believe the focus of the Eurovision Song Contest should be on artists and music”.

Earlier this week, a rep confirmed: “[Austrian’s national broadcaster] ORF is broadcasting a clean audio feed live from audience microphones before and during every performer’s song.

“One audience member, close to a microphone, loudly expressed their views as the Israeli artist began his performance, and during the song, which was heard on the live broadcast.

“They were later removed by security for continuing to disturb the audience.”

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It was also confirmed that three more audience members had been “removed from the arena by security” for what the EBU and ORF described as “disruptive behaviour”.

BBC News subsequently reported that one of the audience members removed from the arena had “Free Palestine” written across his chest.

Noam also told the BBC that he was “aware” of the protests during his performance, which came as a “little bit of a shock”.

“[I] looked for the flags of the people who love me and want me to do my best, and that really carried me,” he added.

The continued presence of Israel has been a contentious issue for several years now, with many critics calling for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest in solidarity with Palestine.

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After it was decided last year that Israel would be invited back to Eurovision in 2026, five countries withdrew from the contest, including “Big Five” member Spain.

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