As the Middle East conflict intensifies and oil and gas prices swing wildly, the UK has seen renewed calls to drill more in the North Sea. The argument is straightforward: if Britain produces more of its own oil and gas, household energy bills should fall.

But our analysis suggests the effect would be minimal. Even if the UK maximised North Sea extraction and returned revenues directly to households, the reduction in energy bills would be at most a modest £82 per year – far smaller than the savings expected from accelerating the shift to renewable energy.

In fact, a faster transition away from gas-powered electricity could cut household energy bills by three times as much as maximising North Sea oil and gas.

Why UK energy bills are so high

A typical UK household has a single “dual fuel” bill covering both electricity and gas. This can be divided into several different components.

The largest share is the wholesale cost – the price suppliers (the company named on your bill) pay for electricity and gas – which accounts for about 41% of the bill. The rest covers the costs of running and maintaining energy networks (23%), operating costs and debts (15%), policy costs such as environmental and social levies (12%) and VAT.

At the wholesale level, the UK does not consistently pay more than other European countries. At various points since 2022, countries such as Italy and Germany have faced similar or higher wholesale costs.

Yet UK households still pay some of the highest retail electricity prices in Europe. That’s because of how the electricity market works.

In Britain, the wholesale electricity price is usually set by the most expensive generator needed to meet demand. That generator is often a gas-fired power station. As a result, electricity prices tend to rise and fall with gas prices – even when much of the electricity is produced by cheaper sources such as wind or solar.

Gas also dominates home heating – 85% of UK households still rely on gas boilers, far more than in most comparable countries

This makes UK households highly exposed to swings in global fossil fuel prices. Gas prices are set on international markets, which are heavily exposed to geopolitical shocks, as seen both in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and again today.

Britain’s poorly insulated homes – among the least energy efficient in northern Europe – compounds the problem. This means households consume more gas to achieve the same level of warmth.

Why more North Sea drilling wouldn’t cut bills

Producing more oil and gas in the North Sea would not create the UK’s “own special supply”, nor could its price be set specifically for UK citizens.

That’s because any new production would be sold on international markets at international prices. The UK simply doesn’t have the ability to extract, refine and use oil all by itself even if it wanted to – some international trading will always be necessary.

The only way North Sea extraction could reduce household bills is through government revenues. Taxes and levies on oil and gas profits – the so-called fiscal “take” – could in principle be redistributed to households.

To explore this possibility, we modelled a scenario in which the UK maximised North Sea oil and gas and used all revenues collected to subsidise lower energy bills.

Even under those assumptions, the effect would be limited. Household bills would fall by between £16 and £82 per year. That’s roughly 1% to 4.6% of the current average household energy bill of £1,776, according to UK regulator Ofgem.

Bigger savings from renewables

A different policy direction – one that reduces the role of gas in electricity production – produces much larger savings.

If the price of electricity was set by cheaper renewable energy rather than by gas, our analysis suggests households could save £105 to £331 per year through lower wholesale energy costs.

That is roughly three times more than the “maximise oil and gas” scenario.

Importantly, these savings would also be recurring. Once electricity prices are less tied to volatile gas markets, and instead are set by cheaper and infinitely available resources – wind and sun – households benefit every year.

Savings could be still higher if the structure of electricity bills were rebalanced. At present, many policy costs – including support for renewables – are added to electricity bills rather than funded through general taxation.

If those policy costs were moved into general taxation, as announced in the government’s autumn 2025 spending review, the average household could save up another £110 or so annually. In our renewables scenario, that would bring the total savings to about £441 per year.

Moving policy and system costs from bills onto general taxation is one way to make energy costs fairer and more egalitarian. That’s because energy bills take a larger share of income from lower income households while taxes better reflect ability to pay.

Our analysis used oil and gas prices in January 2026, prior to the breakout of the US-Israel war on Iran. In other words, ours is a conservative scenario that assumes relatively favourable conditions for fossil fuels. If global prices rise further, the advantages of renewable energy would become even greater.

Reducing exposure to fossil fuel shocks

Recent history illustrates how costly dependence on fossil fuels can be.

Research by our colleagues at Oxford Smith School found that if the UK had moved away from importing Russian oil and gas after its 2014 invasion of Crimea, it would have saved about £22 billion in energy costs during the price spike after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Similarly, had the UK adopted the “balanced net zero” pathway proposed by its official advisory Climate Change Committee, it could avoid spending around £70 billion on crude oil and natural gas between 2022 and 2030.

Today’s energy crisis simply reiterates this argument: if the UK was less reliant on oil and gas today, it would be in a much better economic position.

The best way to keep energy bills low in the long run is to reduce dependence on gas altogether. That means expanding renewable generation, investing in energy storage and grid infrastructure, improving home insulation and electrifying heating through technologies such as heat pumps. Support for vulnerable households will also be crucial during the transition to a lower-carbon energy system.

Our findings refute speculation that draining the North Sea of all oil and gas would significantly lower bills and make the UK energy secure. Even if further fossil fuel extraction went ahead and all tax revenues were returned directly to consumers, the savings for consumers would be modest. Meanwhile the UK would remain exposed to geopolitical shocks and be economically worse off.

Staying the course on clean energy would not only save households three times as much money but render the UK truly energy secure for generations to come.

“I was never a member of the IRA or its Army Council, and I never held any role or rank within the IRA.”

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Gerry Adams has told the High Court that he had “no involvement whatsoever” in Provisional IRA bombings in England and that he was never a part of the organisation.

The former Sinn Féin president entered the witness box on Tuesday in defence of a legal claim against him brought by three victims of bombings in England in the 1970s and 1990s.

John Clark, a victim of the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a 1996 London Docklands bombing victim; and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, all allege that Mr Adams was a leading member of the Provisional IRA on those dates, including of its Army Council, and are seeking £1 in damages.

Mr Adams is defending the claim, claiming in a witness statement that membership of Sinn Féin “does not equate to membership of the IRA”.

Wearing a dark suit and tie, a shamrock and a badge of the Palestinian flag, Mr Adams began his evidence by wishing the judge, Mr Justice Swift, “a very happy St Patrick’s Day”.

In his 20-page witness statement, Mr Adams said he “was not involved in any way in the planning, preparation or conduct of” any of the bombings, and “have never been a senior, let alone most senior figure, in the IRA”.

He continued: “I had no involvement in or advance knowledge of the Old Bailey bombing (1973), the Canary Wharf bombing (1996) or the Manchester bombing (1996).

“I have never been charged, prosecuted or convicted of any offence in connection with any of the bombing incidents in which the claimants were injured.”

He also said: “I was never a member of the IRA or its Army Council, and I never held any role or rank within the IRA.

“I repeat that I had no involvement whatsoever in the authorisation, planning or conduct of the bombings in which the claimants were sadly injured.”

Mr Adams also said that opponents of Sinn Féin, of which he was president from 1983 to 2018, “have repeatedly sought to conflate” the party with the Provisional IRA.

“As I have always stated, Sinn Féin and the IRA are separate organisations,” Mr Adams said.

He continued: “I have no knowledge, beyond what has been widely reported in the public domain, as to the structure or decision-making processes of the IRA.”

Mr Adams told the court that he was “very conscious” that the three bomb victims had “suffered significantly”, and that his statement should not be taken “as criticism of the claimants, or as any attempt to deny or diminish their awful experiences”.

During cross-examination by barrister Sir Max Hill KC, Mr Adams agreed that 1,178 deaths were caused by the Provisional IRA, the business of which was “to resist armed British occupation and aggression in the part of Ireland that I lived in”.

He had earlier said that the ignorance of Irish history among British people is “shocking”.

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Anne Studd KC, for the three bomb victims, previously told the trial that Mr Adams was “directly responsible for and complicit in those decisions made by that organisation to detonate bombs on the British mainland in 1973 and 1996”.

The barrister also said that the difference between being in “the Army” and being a member of Sinn Féin was not a “clear either/or choice”.

She added: “The claimants’ case is that none of these bombings in the United Kingdom mainland took place without the knowledge and agreement of the defendant in his role in the Provisional IRA and latterly as a member of the seven-man Army Council.”

She concluded: “There is no doubt that the defendant contributed to the peace in Northern Ireland, but the claimants say that on the evidence he also contributed to the war.”

Ms Studd also told the court that Mr Adams had “a foot in each camp” of the military and political sides of the Irish Republican movement, and that was likely “as involved as the people who planted and detonated those bombs”.

The trial is due to conclude later in March.

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Jason Barstow, 29, is accused of robbery and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence following an incident at Market Cross Jewellers on Westgate in Guisborough on Saturday afternoon, March 14.

Barstow, of St Ann’ Court, Hartlepool, appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 16. He did not enter a plea to either charge during the hearing.

Barstow was remanded in custody and is due to appear next at Teesside Crown Court on April 16 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Police were called to the jewellery shop shortly before 4pm on March 14 following reports of a robbery.

It is alleged a man smashed his way through a window with a hammer, threatened staff and took items before fleeing.

Members of the public chased and detained the suspect until officers arrived at the scene.

Following the incident, Cleveland Police confirmed a 29-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of robbery and taken into custody.

It has been called the ‘easiest way’ to make lawns look better.

Now that it is spring, many of us are turning our attention to lawns in preparation for sunny days. Lawns can seem difficult to deal with, especially if they aren’t level.

However, a garden expert has explained how to achieve a lush lawn this summer without any bumps. The key is all in the preparation, which can be done now.

Expert Michael, who shares hacks on social media @themichaelgriffiths, revealed his fix that uses a mix of sand, soil and compost. He said: “It’s one of the easiest ways to make a lawn look instantly better without re-turfing.”

To make a lawn level, Michael started by preparing the area. He mowed the grass “really short” to two to three centimetres.

Michael explained: “This makes it easier to apply top dressing and you get better visibility of any low spots.” He then made sure to have his top soil, sand and compost to hand.

The expert said you need to combine the materials to a two to one part mix. This means two parts top soil, two parts sand and one part compost.

Michael said: “This combination provides bulk drainage and nutrients to help the grass flourish.” Once combined together, spread it over the bumpy area you mowed.

He then levelled the mix, which can be done with the back of a rake or a lawn-levelling rake. Ensure the mix has been spread across the lawn evenly.

Michael walked on top of the mix to tread it into the ground. He said you can repeat the steps if necessary, to ensure all bumps are covered and a level area has been created.

The social media expert said: “Finally, water in gently to help the mix settle. And if it’s needed, you’re now ready to reseed your lawn.”

Michael told his followers: “If your lawn feels more bumpy than flat, don’t rip it out, you can level it.

“A simple top-dressing mix of sand + soil + compost brushed into the low spots helps smooth the surface while keeping the grass growing through.”

One person asked Michael if it is too early in the year to follow his advice. He replied: “Perfect time to do this now – still probably a little too cold for grass seed but in about 2 weeks it’ll be fine. So you can do this now to get ready.”

Another commented: “Perfect, I got a quote for this that was over £2k which I couldn’t justify. This is brilliant I’m going to attempt myself. Thank you so much for posting.”

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Jason Bailey, 48, carried out an ‘opportunistic’ sex attack upon his victim

A woman was brutally raped by a man while she was working despite her telling him she was not interested in a sexual relationship. The victim said she “blamed herself” for the rape and has “struggled to come to terms with her reaction” having previously believed she could have fought back, a court heard.

Jason Bailey, 48, of Porthcawl, had previously asked his victim if she “fancied some no strings fun” but she had not responded and thought to herself: “Who the hell does he think he is?”. He later approached her and asked her what he thought about his proposition, which she turned down.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard Bailey walked towards the victim as she repeatedly told him: “No”. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here..

He manhandled her and pinned her down before pulling down her leggings and underwear.

The defendant sexually assaulted the victim by forcibly performing oral sex upon her before raping her with his penis.

He only finished raping her when he ejaculated and walked off and told her: “Between us yeah?”.

The victim later confided in friends who contacted the police.

Bailey, of New Road, was later convicted of rape and assault by penetration following a trial. The court heard he has no previous convictions but has a caution for burglary.

In a victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Nigel Fryer the victim said: “When it first happened it had such a huge impact on me for so many months of my life – the big stuff and everyday stuff…

“The thought that he could be there and feelings of intimidation made me feel sick… There were regular occasions I could not get out of bed for days on end. I did not wash or brush my teeth. I have always had feelings of anxiety and depression. I felt so angry at myself and blamed myself. I was in shock for some days afterwards.

“I would describe myself as a feisty person and thought I could fight back but I have struggled to come to terms with my reaction and didn’t fight as I thought I would. I started having flashbacks and started drinking in the house, which I never did.”

The victim said she cries and shakes at the thought of seeing the defendant and panics when she sees someone who looks like him. She said she is now unable to socialise other than at her local pub.

In mitigation Andrew Davies said his client has suffered financially and with his mental health while waiting for the trial and described the defendant as a “broken man”.

The barrister said Bailey’s family had suffered tragedy after his younger brother took his own life and he serves as a carer for his mother who has spinal problems and is immobile. He also has a son who he provides for.

Sentencing, Recorder Andrew Hammond said: “This was an opportunistic sexual attack. You took the opportunity to force yourself upon her and did not take no for an answer.”

Bailey was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

The defendant was also made subject to a restraining order indefinitely and was made subject to sex offender notification requirements for life.

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Chelsea were handed a nine-month academy transfer ban and a £750,000 fine over the registration of academy players between 2019 and 2022.

But compare this case with Everton and Nottingham Forest in 2024, when both clubs received points deductions for PSR breaches that appear much less serious.

So what relevance, if any, does all this have on the Premier League’s other major disciplinary case?

Fifteen months after the end of an independent commission hearing into more than 100 alleged breaches of financial rules by Manchester City, the club is still waiting to discover its fate.

Unlike Chelsea, City deny wrongdoing and are contesting the case. And unlike at Stamford Bridge, there has been no change of ownership at the Etihad to provide mitigation.

But City fans will surely be encouraged that the Premier League board did not appear to even consider a points deduction in the case of Chelsea, despite the “deception and concealment”. Indeed, it referred to a two-window transfer ban as an “appropriate” punishment, had the club not self-reported and co-operated.

In July 2023, Uefa fined the club £8m over the same case. And the FA is expected to take similar action when it announces the conclusion of its disciplinary process into the affair in the coming weeks.

But there are clear signs that Chelsea feared it could have been worse. In 2024, it was revealed that owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali held back £150m of their purchase price for the club to cover potential fines relating to the Abramovich era. So far this episode has cost the club about £18m.

Some of their rivals may feel the cost may have been greater in the form of trophies and prize money they could potentially have won. And also to the integrity and credibility of a competition that relies on everyone following the rules.

The council announced the decision amid concerns that the 275 existing benches across the town are beginning to overwhelm public areas.

The Labour-run authority said the benches, placed in memory of loved ones, can block access for wheelchair users and people with pushchairs.

There are 275 existing benches across the town. (Image: SWNS)

However, locals disagree with the plans.

Daniel Matthews, 40, said: “My mum and dad had a bench put up in memory of my nan who loved to look out to sea when she was alive.

“It was a nice place to sit and pay tribute to her but the bench started falling apart and eventually had to be removed.

“I don’t think it’s fair for the council to say Hartlepool has too many of these benches.”

“It’s a nice way to keep your memories of relatives alive.”

The authority has now paused all future applications and is suggesting tree planting as an alternative.

The authority say the benches can block access for wheelchair and pushchair users. (Image: SWNS)

Not everyone is opposed to the ban.

One mother, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s a pain to be honest having to almost slalom the pushchair around all these benches when I’m taking my toddler out.

“Lots of these benches don’t just have a plaque either, there are sometimes photos and flowers and teddies.

“They’re becoming like graves rather than somewhere for people to sit on.”

Karl Barowsky, owner of Teak Garden Furniture, which supplies memorial benches, said: “When thoughtfully planned and positioned, memorial benches can sit comfortably within public spaces.

“They support reflection, wellbeing and everyday community use, and they can enhance parks and town centres rather than detract from them.”

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Karen Oliver, Chair of the council’s Housing, Growth and Communities Committee, said a recent audit identified 115 benches on the Headland, 112 on Seaton Promenade, and 48 in Ward Jackson Park.

She said: “We understand that our communities want to commemorate and remember loved ones, so we acknowledge that this is a very sensitive issue.

“We aim to engage with the owners of benches – where we have ownership information – to agree a sympathetic approach that minimises the need for the removal of benches.”

Armed police were called to reports of disorder at St Enoch Square on Monday night.

Two teenagers have been charged after a knife was found and a police officer was injured in a rammy in Glasgow city centre.

Emergency crews, including specialist firearms officers rushed to St Enoch Square at around 8.40pm on Monday after receiving a report of disorder outside a shopping centre.

An 18-year-old man was charged in connection with police assault, resisting arrest and breach of the peace. He was also charged in connection with being in possession of a knife and drugs.

The teen is expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court today (Tuesday, March 17).

A 16-year-old girl was also charged in connection with police assault and resisting arrest. The force confirmed that a report will be submitted to the Scottish Children’s Report Administration.

Images from the scene showed police at either side of the Argyle Street entrance to the St Enoch subway station. Numerous cop cars were also spotted.

There were no injuries involved in the disturbance. A weapon was also recovered.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Around 8.40pm on Monday, 16 March, 2026, we received a report of disorder at St Enoch Square, Glasgow.

“Police, including specialist firearms officers, attended and an 18-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with possession of a weapon, police assault, resisting arrest, breach of the peace and drug possession. He is expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 17 March, 2026.

“A 16-year-old female was charged in connection with police assault and resisting arrest. A report will be submitted to the Scottish Children’s Report Administration.

“There were no reports of any injuries and a weapon was also recovered.”

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LONDON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in London on Tuesday for talks with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the British government said, as European countries look to keep international attention on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while the unfolding Iran war engages world leaders.

Starmer’s office said that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will also join the meeting at 10 Downing St. to discuss peacemaking efforts in Ukraine and “the need to maintain sanctions pressure on Russia.”

The meeting comes days after the U.S. temporarily waived some Russian oil sanctions in a bid to ease pressure on global supplies triggered by the war in the Middle East, which was sparked by the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28.

Zelenskyy criticized Washington’s move to ease sanctions, saying it would provide a windfall for Moscow to keep up its attacks on Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he wants to secure a peace deal that ends Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II and has rattled the continent’s leaders, who reckon that Russia could pose a credible security threat to the European Union by the end of the decade.

But U.S.-brokered talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv, which so far have yielded no significant progress on key issues, have lost momentum amid the Middle East conflict.

At the same time, Trump has spurned Zelenskyy’s offer of help for the United States and its Persian Gulf partners in fighting Iranian drones. Ukraine has become one of the world’s leading producers of high-tech, battle-tested drone interceptors.

British officials say that Russia and Iran are collaborating on drone technology and tactics in the Middle East. Drone combat experts from the U.K. and Ukraine have been sent to the region to help Iran’s neighbors repel its drone attacks.

Starmer’s office said the U.K. and Ukraine will sign a deal combining “Ukraine’s expertise and the U.K.’s industrial base to manufacture and supply drones and innovative capabilities.” Britain is also funding an “AI Center of Excellence” in conjunction with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

Zelenskyy, announcing his arrival in London on X, said his priorities are “more security and opportunities for Ukraine.”

Starmer said in a statement that “drones, electronic warfare and rapid battlefield innovation are now central to national and economic security, and that has only been further magnified by the conflict in the Middle East.”

“By deepening our defense partnerships, we are strengthening Ukraine’s ability to defend itself from Russia’s brutal, ongoing attacks, while ensuring the U.K. and our allies are better prepared to meet the threats of the future.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 206 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean Peninsula and the Azov Sea. A total of 40 intercepted drones were flying toward Moscow, the ministry said.

Asked about an increase in Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow over the past few days, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that authorities in Kyiv were “continuing absolutely futile resistance” against Russia’s invasion.

Zelenskyy said late Monday that counterattacks by Ukrainian forces at eastern and southern points along the front line have wrecked Moscow’s plans for a March offensive.

His comments couldn’t be independently verified, but the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said Monday that Ukrainian counterattacks “are likely constraining” some Russian offensive operations.

Ukraine’s air force said that Russia launched 178 long-range drones of various types across the country overnight starting late Monday, with 154 of them either intercepted or jammed while 22 more struck their targets.

In the southern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, a Russian strike damaged a terminal of Ukraine’s biggest private delivery company, Nova Poshta, the company said on Telegram. Eight people were wounded, according to Ivan Fedorov, the head of the regional military administration.

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Illia Novikov contributed to this report from Kyiv, Ukraine.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine