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UK government approves Jackdaw gas field in North Sea

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 11 outlets across the spectrum.

25 articles in total, 2 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Yellow offshore gas platform labelled Jackdaw 30/2a in the North Sea, aerial view.
Image via Deutsche WelleHow images are chosenReport this image

The UK government has approved the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, a project that has been controversial for years. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the decision pragmatic. Kemi Badenoch of the Conservatives accused the government of dithering and noted that the previous Conservative government first approved the project in 2022. Environmental groups have criticized the approval, and some Labour MPs have spoken against it. President Donald Trump praised the decision on Truth Social, saying the UK had started drilling and should go full blast.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. The UK government has approved the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft3Center2Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian, Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg
    Center
    Deutsche Welle, BBC News
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Just the News, One America News

  2. Environmental groups and some Labour MPs have criticized the approval.

    Reported byLeft2Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian, Al Jazeera English
    Center
    Deutsche Welle

  3. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the decision pragmatic.

    Reported byCenter1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    BBC News
    Right
    New York Post

  4. Kemi Badenoch accused the government of dithering and said the Conservative government first approved the project in 2022.

    One outletBBC News· Center

  5. Donald Trump praised the decision on Truth Social and said the UK should go full blast on North Sea drilling.

    Reported byLeft1Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Just the News, One America News

  6. The Jackdaw field lies about 150 miles east of Aberdeen.

    One outletFinancial Times· Center

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • The UK approval was driven by Donald Trump’s pressure.

    The New York Post’s headline credits Trump’s pressure, and RedState describes the UK as backing down to his request. The Guardian says the decision followed lobbying by Shell, and Deutsche Welle says the government is seeking to tackle high energy costs.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report that the UK government has approved the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. The center and left stress climate criticism from campaigners and some Labour MPs, while the right foregrounds Donald Trump’s praise and the economic benefits.

  • the left

    3 outlets

    Headlines frame the approval as a blow to climate campaigners and stress threats to Labour’s green credentials, while Bloomberg’s headline stays neutral and leaves Trump’s praise to the description.

    Jackdaw North Sea gasfield to get go-ahead in blow to climate campaigners
    The GuardianLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    4 outlets

    Headlines report the approval in neutral terms, such as UK approves or to approve, and some put the climate and cost row up front.

    Why Jackdaw decision ignites row over climate and costs
    BBC NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    4 outlets · 1 opinion

    Headlines credit Trump, and the Far Right outlets read the approval as the UK giving in to his demands for drilling.

    Britain approves Sensational language“massive”The adjective inflates the project’s scale beyond the facts reported.More neutral: largeDisagree with this highlight? North Sea drilling project under Trump pressure; could add $3.8B to UK economy
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left3

    Critics saycondemngrownup

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right5

    cheerscelebratedmassiveBacks Down

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    cheersMore neutral: welcomes

    The verb adds the outlet’s approval of Trump’s stance to a report of his remarks.

    Trump cheers as UK resumes North Sea drilling, urges London to go 'full blast'

    Used byJust the News (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    celebratedMore neutral: welcomed

    The verb frames a government approval as a cause for celebration in the outlet’s own voice.

    President Donald Trump on Wednesday celebrated the resumption of British oil drilling in the North Sea, contending that the move…

    Used byJust the News (Far Right)

  • Vague attribution

    Critics sayMore neutral: Campaigners and green experts say

    The phrase attributes the claims to unnamed people without saying who holds them.

    Critics say move will jeopardise climate targets, fail to cut cost of living and distract from…

    Used byThe Guardian (Left)

  • Loaded verb

    condemnMore neutral: criticise

    The verb presents the criticism as condemnation rather than stating what the campaigners said.

    Climate campaigners condemn ‘maddening’ decision to approve Jackdaw gasfield

    Used byThe Guardian (Left)

Show 4 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded modifier

    grownupMore neutral: longer-term

    The word implies that other energy policies are immature, which is a judgement rather than a fact.

    Jackdaw approval is a step towards a grownup North Sea policy

    Used byThe Guardian (Left)

  • Sensational language

    massiveMore neutral: large

    The adjective inflates the project’s scale beyond the facts reported.

    Britain approves massive North Sea drilling project under Trump pressure; could add $3.8B to UK economy

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Backs DownMore neutral: approves

    The phrase implies the UK retreated under pressure, which the coverage does not establish.

    UK Backs Down to Brutal Reality on Trump's Ask for Drilling in North Sea

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Brutal RealityMore neutral: economic situation

    The phrase adds dramatic judgement about the UK’s economic position.

    UK Backs Down to Brutal Reality on Trump's Ask for Drilling in North Sea

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

Words quoted from someone else (2)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    climate vandalismMore neutral: criticism that the decision harms the climate

    The phrase is a strong accusation that adds drama, although it is attributed to the Green leader.

    Labour accused of ‘climate vandalism’ by Green leader Polanski after Jackdaw gasfield approved – UK politics live

    Quoted byThe Guardian (Left)

    These are Polanski’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    maddeningMore neutral: frustrating

    The word is a strong emotional adjective, although it is a quotation from a campaigner.

    Climate campaigners condemn ‘maddening’ decision to approve Jackdaw gasfield

    Quoted byThe Guardian (Left)

    These are Danny Gross’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

3 outlets

Leads with

  • climate campaigners’ opposition
  • Labour MPs’ dismay
  • threat to Labour’s green credentials

Leaves out

  • $3.8 billion estimated economic gain

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

4 outlets

Leads with

  • UK approval and timing
  • row over climate and costs
  • high energy costs

Leaves out

  • Trump’s public praise

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

4 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • Trump’s praise and pressure
  • economic benefits for the UK
  • oil supply and wealth

Leaves out

  • Badenoch’s accusation of dithering
  • Labour MPs’ criticism

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 5 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • One America NewsFar Right

    Trump praises UK approval of Jackdaw North Sea gas project

    President Donald Trump praised the United Kingdom for resuming its oil drilling in the North Sea, a move he says would boost the UK economically, even if it’s seen as a major reversal of the country’s climate change policies.

    Read at One America News (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    Britain approves Sensational language“massive”The adjective inflates the project’s scale beyond the facts reported.More neutral: largeDisagree with this highlight? North Sea drilling project under Trump pressure; could add $3.8B to UK economy

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham called it a “pragmatic” decision, saying the Jackdaw field off the coast of Scotland will provide up to 40 million barrels of oil over its lifetime and add an estimated $3.8 billion to the UK economy.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • Washington ExaminerRight

    UK greenlights previously banned North Sea gas project sought by Trump

    The United Kingdom is allowing a proposed gas drilling project in the North Sea to move forward, a major reversal in the country’s climate change policy, which previously banned new fossil fuel drilling in the region. …

    Read at Washington Examiner (opens in a new tab)
  • Just the NewsFar Right

    Trump Loaded verb“cheers”The verb adds the outlet’s approval of Trump’s stance to a report of his remarks.More neutral: welcomesDisagree with this highlight? as UK resumes North Sea drilling, urges London to go 'full blast'

    Whitehall approved the project, which targets the Jackdaw gas field in the central North Sea, earlier this week and has indicated that it could supply energy to residences within a single week.

    Read at Just the News (opens in a new tab)
    1 more from Just the News
  • RedStateFar RightOpinion

    Reverse Psychology? UK Loaded verb“Backs Down”The phrase implies the UK retreated under pressure, which the coverage does not establish.More neutral: approvesDisagree with this highlight? to Sensational language“Brutal Reality”The phrase adds dramatic judgement about the UK’s economic position.More neutral: economic situationDisagree with this highlight? on Trump's Ask for Drilling in North Sea

    Our Western ally, the United Kingdom, is in a bad state of affairs economically.

    Read at RedState (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    51 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 2:24 PM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    BBC News, Oct 20, 1:33 PM EDT

  • Right

    20 hr later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 9:36 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. BBC NewsCenterOct 20, 1:33 PM EDT
  2. Sky NewsCenterOct 20, 1:56 PM EDT
  3. The GuardianLeftOct 20, 2:24 PM EDT
  4. Financial TimesCenterOct 20, 5:20 PM EDT
  5. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 21, 5:21 AM EDT
  6. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 21, 6:28 AM EDT
  7. Washington ExaminerRightOct 21, 9:36 AM EDT
  8. BloombergLeftOct 21, 11:17 AM EDT
  9. New York PostRightOct 21, 12:41 PM EDT
  10. One America NewsFar RightOct 21, 2:57 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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