Ukraine war: UK to discuss oil stability with Saudi Arabia

The UK government is to discuss how to diversify energy supply following disruption caused by the war in Ukraine, Downing Street has said.

Petrol prices for UK drivers have reached record highs of more than £1.60 a litre in recent days.

The PM's spokesman said discussions with Saudi officials would look to tackle market volatility but there were no "quick fixes" available.

It comes after 81 men were executed in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Foreign Office Minister Amanda Milling said the British government was "deeply shocked" by the executions, and opposed the use of the death penalty in all circumstances.

Replying to an urgent question from Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, she said the issue had already been raised with the Saudi authorities, and the government would continue to "speak frankly" about human rights.

Mr Blunt said the executions were "appalling" and had presented the prime minister with "exquisite difficulties" when asking Saudi Arabia for help in easing oil shortages.

Ms Milling told MPs the UK was phasing out Russian oil, adding that it was important to have stability in energy markets, and there was a role for OPEC - of which Saudi Arabia is a key member - in this.

Human rights groups say many of those executed did not receive fair trials, but the Saudi government denies this.

The average price of petrol for UK drivers hit £1.63 a litre on Sunday, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine pushing up costs.

Asked whether the UK wanted Saudi Arabia - the world's second-biggest oil producer - to increase supplies, the prime minister's official spokesman said: "We will be speaking to the Saudis about a range of issues, not just energy supply.

"Diversifying our energy supply is important, as is boosting renewable energy. There are no quick fixes but we do want to reduce the volatility and bring prices down."

Boris Johnson held a meeting with ministers and leaders of gas and oil companies - including Shell, Esso and BP - on Monday, during which he voiced a "firm commitment" to continuing extractions from the North Sea.

They agreed to work to "remove barriers facing investors and developers, and help projects come online more quickly", Downing Street said.

Saudi Arabia says those executed on Saturday, including seven Yemenis and one Syrian national, had been convicted of "multiple heinous crimes", including terrorism, torture, rape and weapons smuggling.

The number put to death exceeded the 69 who faced that fate during the whole of 2021.

"The UK is firmly opposed to the death penalty in every country as a matter of principle," the PM's spokesman said.

"We continue to raise human rights issues with other countries including Saudi Arabia. We do not shy away from raising these issues with our partners."

In the Commons, Labour's spokesman Bambos Charalambous said it was no coincidence that the Saudis had carried out the mass executions while the world's attention was elsewhere.

Responding to reports that Boris Johnson is to visit Riyadh, the SNP spokesman, Alyn Smith, said no such visit should take place, after what he described as an "atrocity".