Lobbyists attended 48% more meetings than Tories, as Labour accused of giving them ‘backstage pass’

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Government ministers met representatives from the fossil fuel industry more than 500 times during their first year in power – equivalent to twice every working day, according to research.

The analysis found that fossil fuel lobbyists were present at 48% more ministerial meetings during Labour’s first year in power than under the Conservatives in 2023.

Ministers at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) met fossil fuel lobbyists 274 times, with industry figures present at almost a quarter of meetings.

During the same period DESNZ ministers met trade union representatives 61 times.

Ed Miliband, the secretary for energy and climate change, met fossil fuel lobbyists 91 times – with a third of all his meetings attended by industry figures.

Three fossil fuel companies: BP, Shell and Equinor, met ministers 100 times between them.

Fossil fuel lobbyists attended almost every government meeting about the energy profits levy, a temporary windfall tax on the “extraordinary profits” of North Sea oil and gas companies.

This article was amended on 16 October 2025. Owing to an error in supplied information, an earlier version said Ed Miliband met fossil fuel lobbyists 250 times during Labour’s first year in power; this should have said 91 meetings.