A surprise intervention by the boss of BP has put the future of north-east jobs and prosperity at the heart of the independence battle.
The oil and gas giant’s chief executive Bob Dudley became the most high-profile business leader to enter the debate when he issued a warning of “big uncertainties” if Scotland decides to go it alone.
While the American emphasised BP’s continued investment in the North Sea, he said his own view was that “Great Britain is great and it ought to stay together”. He said there was a “questionmark” over the impact, and specifically highlighted the currency debate and “connections with Europe”, while suggesting company costs would rise through “duplication” of work.
BP is one of the biggest companies in the world, remains the North Sea’s largest producer, and employs about 2,500 people directly in Scotland, including more than 1,000 at Dyce.
Pro-UK campaigners seized on Mr Dudley’s comments yesterday, while the Scottish Government highlighted record North Sea investment in recent years. Mr Dudley said in an interview yesterday that BP’s future in the North Sea after independence “would depend on what it really led to”. He said there were big investments under way and “we want to see them developed. It depends on what tax regimes are there and it depends on currency”.
Mr Dudley added: “We have got a lot of people in Scotland, we have got a lot of investments in Scotland.
“There’s much debate about what would happen with the currency and, of course, whether there are connections with Europe or not.
“These are quite big uncertainties for us, and at the moment we are continuing to invest at a pace because these projects are under way.
“But it’s a questionmark. I think all businesses have a concern.
“My personal view is Great Britain is great and it ought to stay together.”
Former chancellor Alistair Darling, head of the pro-UK Better Together group, described it as “perhaps the biggest intervention by a major business so far” in the referendum debate.
A Scottish Government spokesman said it welcomed all contributions to the debate. He added: “BP is a company which already operates in more than 80 independent countries around the globe, and an independent Scotland with full control of its economy and huge resources will offer an attractive and stable environment for businesses in the offshore and other sectors.”
North-east Labour MSP Richard Baker said: “These comments by Bob Dudley show how important it is for our vital oil and gas industry in the north-east that we remain within the UK.”
Reacting to Mr Dudley’s comments on a social networking website, former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars wrote: “No surprise. No doubt worried we will see it as Scotland’s oil and want a bigger share.”
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said: “It is important that people in business make their voices heard in the referendum debate and I welcome the fact Bob Dudley has made his views clear today.”
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