Kemi Badenoch says that a new survey highlighting the huge reserves of untapped oil and gas in the North Sea exposes the “utter madness” of the SNP and Labour’s opposition to new drilling.
The leader of the Conservative Party will visit Aberdeen South today (Friday), with the future of the oil and gas industry the central issue in the Westminster by-election taking place on June 18.
Her visit comes on the back of new research from the University of Aberdeen showing that there are 4.7 billion barrels-worth of oil and gas in the West of Shetland area of the North Sea alone. The zone includes the Rosebank project, which both the SNP and Labour oppose.
Ms Badenoch, who will visit an oil and gas employer in the constituency with Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and the party’s candidate Douglas Lumsden, said it was essential to maximise North Sea drilling to save an industry that is shedding 1,000 jobs per month.
She added that the by-election is a two-horse race between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP and, by backing Lumsden, voters could send a message to John Swinney and Keir Starmer that their war on domestic oil and gas must end.
Findlay said that residents in Aberdeen South who wanted to punish the SNP for their presumption against new drilling must vote for the Scottish Conservatives, or risk the Nationalists winning by default.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said: “It defies belief that Labour and the SNP won’t drill our own oil and gas in the North Sea when independent reports have found there are billions of barrels lying untapped.
“The University of Aberdeen survey just demonstrates the utter madness of the stance taken by Keir Starmer and John Swinney.
“Domestic oil and gas are vital to the nation’s energy security, as well as being the economic lifeblood of the North East. Yet the industry is on its knees due to the windfall tax and the ban on new developments. The Conservatives would scrap both immediately.
“The Aberdeen South by-election is a referendum on the future of oil and gas – and voters know that the Conservatives will always have workers’ backs.
“Only Douglas Lumsden, who worked in the oil and gas industry, can beat the SNP. By voting for Douglas, voters can send a clear message to the Nationalists and Labour that their war on oil and gas must end.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “It will be great welcoming Kemi back to the North East, where people know she’s a champion of our oil and gas sector, which is on life support due to Labour and SNP opposition to new drilling.
“This by-election is a golden opportunity for people in Aberdeen South to oppose this idiotic economic self-harm.
“The only way to do that is to vote for Douglas Lumsden. This contest is a straight fight between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP – and voting for any other party risks the sleazy Nationalists winning by default.
“That’s what happened in the corresponding Holyrood seat, when the pro-UK vote split. We can’t let that happen again.”