David Cameron was roundly ticked off by green groups yesterday for “wooing” oil and gas.

As the Prime Minister vied with Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond to keep the sector on his side of the independence referendum debate, some suggested he was too quick to drop climate change concerns.

The Coalition leader recently admitted he “very much suspected” climate change was a factor behind the latest terrible weather.

Friends of the Earth Economics Campaigner David Powell said: “Before the flood waters have receded, the Prime Minister has gone back to wooing the oil and gas industry.

“Squeezing every last drop of oil from the North Sea will increase the risk of more extreme weather like we have seen in recent weeks.”

WWF Scotland’s Lang Banks echoed the fear: “While it’s true that the oil and gas industry is and will continue to be a major contributor to our economy for some time, we should really be setting out a plan to sensibly transition away from dirty fossil fuels.”

Engineering skills used the oil and gas industry should be harnessed to support “cleaner” forms of energy, he said.