John Swinney’s continued failure to publish an energy strategy shows that he cannot be trusted to stand up for Scotland’s oil and gas sector, the Scottish Conservatives have said.
Ahead of a visit to a business in Aberdeen this morning, energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden has accused Swinney of trying to dupe voters into thinking he has softened his hostility to oil and gas when, in reality, he is still “kowtowing to net zero zealots” inside and outside the SNP.
The draft energy strategy was published three years ago, when the Scottish Greens were still in government with the SNP, and included a presumption against new oil and gas projects.
The Greens publish their manifesto today, with co-leader Ross Greer recently saying it would be a “catastrophe” if the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil fields were given the go-ahead.
Lumsden described the SNP's failure to publish an updated strategy before the election as a “cynical dereliction of duty”, when Swinney should be giving the sector his unequivocal backing.
Scottish Conservative energy spokesperson Douglas Lumsden said: “John Swinney’s ongoing failure to publish an energy strategy shows he cannot be trusted to stand up for Scotland's oil and gas sector.
“The SNP’s draft strategy was published three years ago, yet they have kicked the can down the road on this until after May’s election.
“That is a cynical dereliction of duty at a time when every politician in Scotland should be giving their unequivocal backing to the industry.
“Swinney is trying to dupe voters into thinking he has softened his opposition to oil and gas – but if he was serious, he’d end the SNP’s presumption against new projects.
“The reality is he’s still kowtowing to net zero zealots inside and outside his own party.
“Voters in the North East won’t forgive Swinney and every other party at Holyrood for betraying tens of thousands of skilled workers and putting our energy security at risk.
“We would ditch the SNP’s reckless approach and support new drilling in the North Sea, but we can only do that if Scots stop an SNP majority by voting Scottish Conservative on their peach ballot paper.”
Notes to editors
The SNP’s Draft Energy Strategy includes a presumption against oil and gas developments. It states ‘there should be a presumption against new exploration for oil and gas.’ (Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, 10 January 2023, https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2023/01/draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan/documents/draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan/draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan/govscot%3Adocument/draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan.pdf. Click or tap if you trust this link." data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">link).