SNP MPs have been blasted after failing to vote for a windfall tax on the profits of oil firms to help ease the cost of living crisis.
The Nationalists did not back a move supporters believe would rake in vital resources, with one MP dismissing it as a “smash and grab” on the industry in the North Sea.
Labour’s debate yesterday, fronted by former party leader Ed Miliband, focused on the prospect of massive energy price rises.
Part of the motion urged the UK Government to introduce a one-off tax on the “profits of North Sea oil and gas producers”.
During the debate, SNP MPs made clear their scepticism about the Labour proposals.
Stephen Flynn, who represents Aberdeen South, said: “In relation to the specific proposal for a windfall tax put forward by the Labour party, what was missing from the contribution of the shadow Secretary of State and the Minister himself was the workers. What impact would it have on the workers?”
He also said of Miliband: “He failed to recognise that the last time the UK Government implemented a windfall tax, 10 years or so ago, investment in the North sea oil and gas sector plummeted. It fell off a cliff; in fact, it has never got back to where it was.
“If that happens again, what does it mean? It means that my constituents will lose their jobs. Some 35,000 jobs have gone in the past couple of years alone.”
Richard Thomson, the SNP MP for Gordon, also criticised the plan: "While we have heard many stories about the pressures facing our constituents—we have similar stories we can tell—I am sorry to say that I have not heard anything to persuade me why a one-off smash and grab on the North sea industry is the best way to deal with this crisis."
He added: "Given our previous experience of windfall taxes and the impact they have had, we certainly have no confidence that a UK Government of any stripe can be trusted to use that windfall wisely. This measure is simply a short-termist one-off that will not tackle the fundamental problems."
Although the symbolic Labour motion was passed, SNP MPs did not vote.
The future of the oil and gas industry is a tricky political issue for the SNP, given the SNP Government’s commitment to tackling climate change.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has publicly opposed the plan for the Cambo oil field near Shetland - a position at odds with SNP figures in the North East.
Labour MP Ian Murray said: “Despite their talk, when asked to back a plan to help hard working Scottish families with their spiralling energy bills, the SNP has chosen not to.
“Labour put down a motion in the House of Commons to back our plan for a one-off windfall tax on the excessive profits of the oil and gas companies, which we would spend on our fully costed plan to give Scots up to £600 off their energy bills, but the SNP didn’t show up to support it. Every other party bar the Tories backed the plan.
“Families across Scotland are already finding it harder and harder to cover their bills, with the spiralling cost of living, but SNP MPs were nowhere to be seen when it came to delivering support.”
The SNP has been contacted.
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