The North Sea clamour over the windfall tax is intensifying as the Labour Government's November Budget looms large, with one of the key players warning about the impact on jobs.

Will the UK Government change its tune? Business Editor Ian McConnell assesses the overall picture as he looks ahead to a Budget which could be dramatic, 'and not in any kind of good way'.

EnQuest chief executive Amjad Bseisu is not known for holding back when it comes to expressing his views on the North Sea “windfall tax”, or the energy profits levy as it is officially known by the UK Government.

And last week was certainly no exception.

As the UK Budget on November 26 looms ever larger, it is difficult to escape the impression that the robustness of the opposition to the energy profits levy is building strongly. And that is saying something - given it has been very significant from the start.

Labour did not take long after winning power on July 4 last year to make it crystal clear that it was going to hike the energy profits levy to 38%.

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