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US President Donald Trump claimed that further drilling in the North Sea will take the UK "from a Poverty Stricken Disaster" to one of the world's richest countries

US President Donald Trump has called the UK a "poverty-stricken disaster" after reports that a new oil and gas drilling plan in the North Sea could be approved.

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Sunday, July 20 that the UK's new Labour leader - an possibly the incoming prime minister - Andy Burnham would "be opening up, all the way, the invaluable North Sea Oil!".

Trump's post reads: "The People of Aberdeen, in Scotland, are dancing in the streets because the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has stated that he will be opening up, all the way, the invaluable North Sea Oil!

"It is one of the Greatest Sources of quality Oil on Earth, has hundreds of years of Capacity left, with much not even found yet, and will make the United Kingdom, from a Poverty Stricken Disaster, to one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World!"

Trump is an avid supporter of fossil fuels.

Burnham has not confirmed the reports and Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell said on Sunday that Burnham would stick to the party's manifesto commitments on North Sea drilling but would "pursue a more pragmatic approach".

The Mirror reported just days earlier that Andy Burnham approving new drilling licences in the North Sea would damage UK's security and hurt families struggling with the cost of living, charities have warned.

In a major intervention, 19 different groups including Oxfam and Greenpeace wrote to the incoming-PM expressing "alarm" at reports he might water down the UK's focus on renewables.

In a speech in Downing Street on Monday, Burnham expected to set out plans to provide "breathing space" on the cost of living and bring economic growth to every part of the UK.

In 2024, Labour said the it would not issue new North Sea licences. The party said doing so would "not take a penny off bills" or improve energy security while accelerating climate change. But Burnham is said to be "open-minded" about the policy.

It is understood Burnham believes he would not breach the manifesto by backing further drilling in the Scottish Rosebank and Jackdaw fields because licences had already been granted there.

Powell did not say whether Burnham would support more drilling but said she expected a "change of emphasis" rather than a "change of policy".

The US war in Iran has rocked oil markets and Conservatives and Reform UK parties have put pressure on the Labour government to approve new licences.

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