The SNP abandoned Scotland’s oil and gas industry at a Holyrood vote today, threatening 100,000 jobs and net zero carbon goals.
Nicola Sturgeon had previously called for future oil and gas projects to be “reassessed” but this vote is the first time the SNP has made it clear they oppose future oil and gas projects, including the Cambo field.
In response to the SNP’s decision to side with the extremist Greens against the North East economy, the Scottish Conservatives said the SNP has now “turned its back” on Scotland’s oil and gas industry.
The Scottish Conservatives had brought forward a debate and vote calling on the Scottish Parliament to support future oil and gas projects, including the Cambo field.
The SNP refused to back the Scottish Conservative motion.
North East MSP and Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Liam Kerr, said: “For the first time, Nicola Sturgeon has made it clear the SNP is now an outright opponent of future oil and gas projects. The damaging influence of the extremist Greens is now apparent.
“This vote proves there is only one party in the Scottish Parliament standing up for our oil and gas industry.
“The SNP has turned its back on the North East and sided with the extremist Greens against the local economy and the 100,000 jobs that our North Sea sector supports.
“We warned the nationalist coalition of chaos would be bad for jobs and business. Already, the Greens have shifted the SNP to a rash position that will damage our economic recovery and risk the transition to net zero.
“The SNP-Green Government’s one-dimensional view on our path to net zero will force Scotland to import more energy from abroad, costing the public more and increasing emissions.
“The Scottish Conservatives believe that our oil and gas industry has a crucial role to play in our journey to net zero and the SNP’s decision to abandon the North Sea sector is a radical, unfair move.”