Alistair Campbell

But they are a net positive, I'm afraid.

In fact, more than that positive, they're vital for the security of the national of Britain.

So this is really interesting.

And I'm sorry I didn't get on to ask you more quickly about how Tony had responded, because it's an obvious question.

But let me try to play his part here.

The normal argument against us doing stuff in the North Sea is that it's not going to make a difference to the price.

Fair enough.

Gas prices are global.

It's difficult not to think that there's a national security benefit to having your own gas off your own coast rather than depending on importing from other people, particularly at a moment when we have to get our gas either from the US, which is now one of the reasons that Trump doesn't care so much about straight-forward moves, is that American oil and gas companies are making out like bandits.

Europe is the largest single importer of US energy.

Or Qatar, why wouldn't you, from a point of view of national security, just as you grow your own food, even though, broadly speaking, food prices are set by global markets, would you not keep your own oil and gas supply?

Revenue for the British government.

I mean, honestly, you've also been one of the first to point out that one of the reasons that Mrs. Thatcher was able to fund a lot of her stuff was the revenue from North Sea oil and gas.

Tax cuts for your rich friends.

Yeah, definitely.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, not just for rich friends.

I mean, it, you know, helps, you know, even during the Blair government revenue from North Sea oil and gas.