Donald Trump today suggested Andy Burnham will give approval to the Rosebank field as he hailed the Prime Minister for 'getting it done' and 'opening up North Sea oil'.
The US President said Britain was on the path to becoming 'a very rich country' by boosting its fossil fuel production.
'Andy is getting it done', Mr Trump said, following a phone call with the PM on Friday, as he acknowledged it might be against Mr Burnham's 'liberal principle' to do so.
He also took a swipe at ex-PM Keir Starmer for dithering over North Sea production before he was ousted from office by Mr Burnham in July.
The Government this week approved the Jackdaw gas field, but Mr Trump's specific mention of oil suggested approval could also come for Rosebank - the largest untapped oil field in the North Sea.
However, Downing Street sources denied the PM had explicitly told the US President that he will also give the go-ahead to Rosebank.
Donald Trump today suggested Andy Burnham will give approval to the Rosebank field as he hailed the Prime Minister for 'getting it done' and 'opening up North Sea oil'
The US President said Britain was on the path to becoming 'a very rich country' by boosting its fossil fuel production under Mr Burnham
A decision on Rosebank, which lies west of Shetland, is still pending after the Government's approval for Jackdaw was sharply criticised by some Labour MPs and environmentalists who want to accelerate Britain's shift away from fossil fuels.
There is likely to be an even bigger row within Labour's ranks if Rosebank is approved, as the oil field is predicted to produce many more tons of carbon emissions – if it is also given the go-ahead – than Jackdaw.
Former energy secretary Ed Miliband previously claimed approval of Rosebank would amount to 'climate vandalism'.
But Labour grandee Harriet Harman – who is the Government's special envoy for women and girls – urged ministers to 'make the green argument' for supporting Rosebank.
She said the proceeds from oil production could be used to 'turbocharge' the UK's switch to renewable energy sources.
Speaking to reporters as he departed Washington DC for a campaign rally in Florida ahead of the US mid-term elections next month, Mr Trump revealed he had spoken to Mr Burnham about North Sea production.
'We discussed the fact that they're opening up the North Sea oil, and that's going to make the UK a very rich country,' he said.
'They're opening up the North Sea oil we discussed. I've been after them to do that for two years.
'The other prime minister, the previous man, is Starmer. He's a very nice man, but he never got it done. And this one is getting it. Andy is getting it done.
'And I guess it's against the liberal principle, but he knows what's right. It's going to make it's going to make UK a very wealthy country.'
Mr Trump also revealed he and Mr Burnham had 'lightly' discussed the Iran crisis and Ukraine, but 'mostly discussed Abderdeen and the North Sea'.
Labour's splits over North Sea oil and gas have deepened after party grandee Harriet Harman called on ministers to approve the Rosebank field
Baroness Harman, a former deputy Labour leader, urged the Government to give the go-ahead to the largest untapped oil field in the North Sea
Asked whether ministers are likely to approve Rosebank, Baroness Harman told a Sky News podcast: 'Well, my guess is they will approve it.
'I think they should approve it, and I think they should strongly make the green argument for doing it by investing the proceeds into turbocharging our homegrown renewable energy.'
Alongside its approval of Jackdaw, the Government announced the creation of a new energy wealth fund this week.
Tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas will be funnelled into the fund, backed with an initial £2billion, which will be used to invest in renewable and low carbon projects.
Baroness Harman said the creation of the fund 'points to where we might go with Rosebank'.
She added: 'They're saying some of the benefits of doing this... some of the money streams are going to go into a fund which is going to help us with our race to do more investment so that we can get to Net Zero by 2050.'
The Labour peer claimed there would be a 'really strong green argument' for Rosebank if it produces 'a great load of money to be invested into renewables'.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, who replaced Mr Miliband as Energy Secretary in July, yesterday insisted she will make the final decision over whether to approve Rosebank and not the Prime Minister.
She addressed reports that suggested Andy Burnham or his Chancellor John Healey would ultimately say yes or no to a scheme that could secure thousands of jobs.
'Ultimately only I can make that decision,' Ms Fahnbulleh said.
It has been reported that the Energy Secretary is leaning towards rejecting the project but a spokesman for her Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said this was 'speculation'.
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