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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Laura Pollock

Labour face rebellion as seven MSPs back North Sea jobs campaign against Westminster

KEIR Starmer and Anas Sarwar are facing a rebellion after seven Labour MSPs backed a campaign calling on Westminster to support oil and gas jobs in the North Sea.

It comes after the UK Government said it would not issue new oil and gas licences for the North Sea and manage existing fields for "the entirety of their lifespan".

Hundreds of businesses previously signed up to a campaign launched against Labour’s policy and trade union Unite launched a “no ban without a plan” movement.

Now, more than half of Scotland’s MSPs are backing the Unite campaign and are calling for a clear plan from the UK Government to safeguard jobs in the north east.

MSPs – 65 out of 129 – from the Conservatives, SNP, Labour and Alba have signed the pledge.

The seven Labour rebels going against their Westminster counterparts are former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard alongside Katy Clark, Colin Smyth, Paul Sweeney, Monica Lennon, Carol Mochan and Mercedes Villalba.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The majority of MSPs are clear that Labour needs to reverse its irresponsible policy banning all new oil and gas licenses irrespective of the impact on jobs.

“It is madness to do this without a viable plan including concrete equivalent jobs for North Sea workers and real assurances on energy security.”

First Minister John Swinney is also being urged by business leaders in north-east Scotland to stop the Scottish Governments presumption against new oil and gas developments in the North Sea. 

(Image: Lesley Martin/PA)

Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson is among the SNP MSPs to have signed the pledge, with half the group still not having signed.

Green and Liberal Democrat MSPs were criticised by Unite who said they were “disappointed” not to win their support.

Orkney LibDem MSP Liam McArthur said: “No one can seriously doubt the time and effort my party has put into supporting the energy industry in the Northern Isles and elsewhere.”

He added it would be “helpful” to have more detail of how Unite’s proposed £6 billion of investment will be spent to ensure deliverance of new jobs.

Green North East MSP Maggie Chapman said what is currently being done is “neither just nor a transition” but added that the transition must not be further delayed.

Starmer previously rejected claims the ban on new licences would endanger jobs and repeatedly pledged there will be no “cliff edge” for the industry.

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