The SNP’s new Climate Action Minister has been slammed for again refusing to back drilling in the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields.
Gillian Martin, who is also the MSP for Aberdeenshire East, made the comments in an interview with POLITICO’s energy newsletter, where she said there should be “climate compatibility checkpoints” throughout the process.
Her comments come just over a week before a crucial by-election in Aberdeen South on June 18th.
The Scottish Conservative candidate for the contest, Douglas Lumsden, says Martin’s comments prove that the SNP are “no friends of oil and gas workers”, and that their presumption against any new drilling remains in place.
He says the SNP are trying to dupe voters in Aberdeen South into believing they are on the side of the oil and gas industry.
Lumsden added that the contest is a straight fight between him and the SNP, and that only he can be trusted to stand up for oil and gas workers every day at Westminster.
Scottish Conservative candidate for Aberdeen South Douglas Lumsden said: “Yet again, a senior SNP minister is shamefully refusing to back Scotland’s oil and gas sector.
“The SNP are spending this by-election campaign trying to dupe voters into believing they are on the side of oil and gas workers when nothing could be further from the truth.
“People in the North East will be outraged that Gillian Martin, in her new ministerial role, still cannot bring herself to recognise the urgent need to back new drilling in the North Sea.
“The SNP retain a presumption against any new projects and are no friends of oil and gas workers.
“The by-election is a referendum on the future of the oil and gas industry – and voters in Aberdeen South have the chance to send a clear message to the SNP and Labour that they will not tolerate the taps being turned off in the North Sea.
“The by-election is a two-horse race between me and the SNP. If people want to save our oil and gas industry, they must vote Scottish Conservative on June 18th.”