A Labour MP has withdrawn from a Politico energy and climate conference after learning that Norwegian oil company Equinor was among the sponsors. 

Alex Sobel, who represents Leeds North West, had been due to join a panel on decarbonising the UK grid at the May 16 event in London.

“I have decided to withdraw from the Politico Energy and Climate Summit next week, due to the involvement of Equinor,” Sobel posted on social media site X. “It was unclear that they were sponsors and I would not have accepted the invitation had their sponsorship been known.”

Sobel’s decision underscored concerns among climate advocates that fossil fuel companies are using media sponsorship deals to portray themselves as climate champions, despite continuing to invest overwhelmingly in oil and gas. 

Equinor has a majority stake in the Rosebank North Sea oil field, which has been dubbed a “carbon bomb” by environmental law charity ClientEarth. 

Sobel is a vocal supporter of social and environmental issues, according to his website, and set up the Net Zero All-Party Parliamentary Group to help secure a low-carbon future for the UK.  He was Shadow Minister for Nature Recovery and the Domestic Environment from December 2021 to September 2023.

The Politico Energy & Climate Summit UK website lists Equinor as a ‘presenting partner,’ alongside the Berlin-based renewables company Photovolt Development Partners. Other sponsors include IBM, Google and Microsoft.

The summit will “unpack how the UK navigates the challenging path towards net zero,” according to the website.

A DeSmog-Drilled story and accompanying report published in December detailed how oil and gas companies are using sponsorships of events staged by media such as Politico, the Economist, the Financial Times, Reuters and the Washington Post to present climate-friendly images. 

Sobel, Equinor and Politico did not immediately respond to requests for comment.