Burnham defends Jackdaw approval as Badenoch demands more gas licenses
PoliticsJOE's PMQs highlights follow the North Sea decision into questions about energy security, borrowing and welfare spending.
PoliticsJOE
Story of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 213,015 views a day, 11 times a normal first day on this channel (19,592).
HIGHLIGHTS: Andy Burnham Faces Down Kemi Badenoch at PMQs
Things we can learn from the video
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- 0:07Badenoch welcomes Jackdaw's approval while criticizing the time taken to reach the decision.
- 1:31Burnham blames the previous approval process and links his energy approach to renewables and household bills.
- 2:44Badenoch argues domestic extraction reduces reliance on Russian imports and calls for lifting the ban on new licenses.
- 6:21Badenoch challenges welfare spending forecasts and argues that borrowing and spending must fall.
- 7:23Burnham defends public investment, social care reform and education and training aimed at reducing youth unemployment.
- 11:13Badenoch demands action on spending, the deficit or taxes; Burnham responds by criticizing the Conservatives' mini-budget.
Kemi Badenoch begins with a thank-you, but it is not a concession. "So can I thank him for finally approving the Jackdaw gas field?" she asks Andy Burnham, before pressing him to go further and reverse the ban on new licenses.
That is the change at the heart of PoliticsJOE's latest Prime Minister's Questions highlights. In the exchange we reported here last week, Badenoch was demanding approval for Rosebank and Jackdaw. This time, the government's Jackdaw decision has arrived, and the argument turns to who deserves credit and what should follow.
Burnham says the previous Conservative government mishandled the approval process. He presents the decision as compatible with both energy security and climate commitments, while Badenoch argues that domestic oil and gas production reduces dependence on Russian imports.
The parliamentary extract has drawn roughly 180,000 views in its first 16 hours, already well beyond the channel's usual full-day audience of about 20,000 for regular videos.
The questioning then moves from gas to government finances. Badenoch presses Burnham over borrowing and welfare costs, arguing for spending cuts. Burnham counters with a defense of public investment, social care reform and training and education to reduce youth unemployment.
PoliticsJOE also gives the drilling decision a separate studio discussion in "Going Deep on Andy Burnham's Jackdaw Drilling Deal." Ava and Seán examine the implications for Labour's climate ambitions and consider Norway's approach to energy.
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- Channel
- PoliticsJOE
- Subscribers
- 773,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 1,209,427
- Channel views, pace per day
- 81,699 (on a normal day: 117,123)
- Video published
- October 21, 2026
- Video views so far
- 179,006 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 213,015
The numbers
The PMQs highlights passed PoliticsJOE's usual first-day views well before a full day had elapsed. Comments also exceeded the channel's normal first-day total.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which party does Kemi Badenoch lead in this PMQs exchange?
Badenoch appears as the Conservative leader and Leader of the Opposition.