Phil Selway and Ed O'Brien sign the letter against Rosebank

Phil Selway and Ed O'Brien have signed an open letter asking Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband, the Prime Minister and the Energy Secretary, to refuse any new application to drill at Rosebank, the oil field north-west of Shetland. Robert Smith of the Cure, Lola Young and Paloma Faith signed too.

Rosebank's approval fell in January, when the Court of Session in Edinburgh upheld a challenge by Greenpeace and Uplift, but guidance issued in July lets developers seek consent again for fields already licensed, Rosebank included. The government says it is committed to a fair, orderly and prosperous North Sea transition.

The letter was coordinated by EarthPercent, which Brian Eno co-founded. Its signers argue that more drilling would work against the UK's climate targets and against a sustainable cultural sector, that the field offers no real public benefit, and that ministers should be guided by the science.