A SCOTTISH Tory MSP has been urged to correct the parliamentary record after making an “inaccurate” claim about First Minister Humza Yousaf.
Kevin Stewart, the SNP MSP for Aberdeen Central, has penned a letter to Scots Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden raising concerns about a statement he made at Holyrood on Thursday.
Speaking in a debate on the closure of Grangemouth oil refinery, Lumsden said: “The SNP has accepted the Greens into Government. The Greens want to shut down the oil and gas industry, and the First Minister said two months ago that he wanted to end Scotland’s role as the oil and gas capital of Europe.
“Does the Cabinet Secretary [Neil Gray] now accept that the message that the Government is sending out is putting thousands of jobs at risk – including those at Grangemouth?”
Responding, Energy Secretary Gray said: “Petroineos said that its decision had nothing to do with decisions that have been taken by either the Scottish Government or the UK Government; its decision was taken because of global factors, and it is a situation that refineries not only in the UK but around Europe face.”
In the wake of the exchange, Stewart has asked Lumsden to correct the record. In a letter to the Tory MSP for the North East region, the SNP MSP wrote: “You should be well aware of the importance of accuracy when addressing Scotland’s Parliament. This is especially important when it comes to speaking on issues of the utmost importance – like Scotland’s energy future.
“As the MSP for Aberdeen Central, I am fully aware of just how important accurate language is when it comes to discussing the energy sector. The actions and words of politicians can impact investment, long term strategy and jobs in our region.
“During today’s urgent question on the future of the Grangemouth Refinery, you said in the chamber: ‘The First Minister said two months ago he wanted to end Scotland’s role as Oil and Gas capital of Europe.’
“The First Minister has never said this and what you said was inaccurate. Therefore, given the importance of accuracy, I urge you to acknowledge this error and correct the parliamentary record at the earliest opportunity.”
Lumsden (above) was not the first Tory MSP to have made the claim at Holyrood.
Speaking in September, Tory group leader Douglas Ross had said: “Across the Atlantic in the United States, Humza Yousaf said that Scotland will no longer be ‘the oil and gas capital of Europe’.”
Yousaf had been visiting New York City for climate week, when he gave a speech where he focused on the just transition.
The First Minister said: “Let us pledge not to offer mere warm words, but action. I can pledge Scotland will continue to play our part.
“We will transition from being the oil and gas capital of Europe to unleashing our renewable potential and becoming the net zero capital of the world.”
Writing on Twitter/X after the Scottish Tories were asked for their response to Stewart’s letter, Lumsden pointed to a story in the Herald which had interpreted Yousaf’s words in the same way as him.
Interesting that Kevin Stewart seems to have problem with free press and doesn’t like that @mrdavidbol reported that Humza doesn’t want Scotland to be Oil and Gas capital of Europe. Humza Yousaf wants to lead the world on climate?https://t.co/0M0z80ZUX7
— Douglas Lumsden MSP (@dlumsden) November 26, 2023
“Interesting that Kevin Stewart seems to have problem with free press and doesn’t like that @mrdavidbol reported that Humza doesn’t want Scotland to be oil and gas capital of Europe,” Lumsden wrote.
In a statement issued to The National through the Scots Conservatives’ press office, Lumsden said: “Of course the SNP’s diversion tactic on this issue is to point fingers at the opposition.
“The facts still stand, the SNP-Green government’s dithering and undermining of the oil and gas industry had a devastating impact to Grangemouth as well as the entirety of Scotland’s economy.
“No amount of ‘whataboutery’ can take away from this – the SNP failed to deliver a Just Transition plan for Grangemouth and have provided no justification for this delay leaving those who work there with no options.”
