John Swinney has been accused of overseeing the death of Scotland’s oil and gas industry.
At First Minister’s Questions, Russell Findlay highlighted a new report from Aberdeen University that revealed there are close to five billion barrels of untapped oil reserves off the West of Shetland.
He again urged Swinney to back new drilling to support Scottish jobs and cleaner domestic energy, rather than relying on imports, which are at their highest level since the 1970s.
In response, Swinney still refused to back new drilling.
The report warned that unless action is taken now, their paper could serve as an “obituary” for the industry.
Findlay also highlighted a “bombshell” response received by the Scottish Conservatives which confirmed SNP ministers have done no work on their energy strategy this year.
That is despite Aberdeen South by-election candidate Douglas Lumsden demanding on dozens of occasions in Holyrood to know why it has still not been published.
The SNP’s draft energy strategy was published over three years ago and has a presumption against new oil and gas projects.
Findlay accused “sleekit” SNP politicians including John Swinney of pretending to support oil and gas workers when the reality is that he still backs Nicola Sturgeon’s anti-drilling policy.
He called on Swinney to start telling the truth about his party’s stance on oil and gas at a time when 1,000 jobs a month are being lost in the sector.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “This new report reveals there are almost five billion barrels of untapped oil reserves off the West of Shetland.
“This should be a cause for celebration yet the SNP remain silent.
“Imports of oil and gas are which are more costly and more damaging for the environment are at their highest level since the 1970s.
“But John Swinney still refuses to back new drilling which would protect Scottish jobs and deliver cleaner domestic energy.
“Those behind this report are right to warn that unless action is taken now, then their paper will end up serving as an obituary for the industry.
“Sleekit SNP politicians are betraying oil and gas workers in the most despicably dishonest way.
“John Swinney pretended to support the sector during election time, when he still backs Nicola Sturgeon and the extremist Greens’ anti-drilling policy.
“That has been in place for over three years now since the publication of the SNP’s draft energy strategy.
“But we know now thanks to a bombshell response received by the Scottish Conservatives that SNP ministers have done nothing on that strategy this year.
“That is despite my colleague Douglas Lumsden, who is a true champion of oil and gas, asking SNP ministers dozens of times when this final strategy will be published.
“At a time when 1,000 jobs a month are being lost in the sector, John Swinney must start telling workers the truth about his party’s position.”