Stephen Flynn says early shut down of North Sea would risk moving jobs abroad

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn says an “early shutdown” of oil and gas would lead to North Sea jobs being lost to other countries.

The Aberdeen South MP described the debate around oil and gas as “very polarised”.

He told the Holyrood Sources podcast both governments must instead find a “middle ground” that balances energy security with climate concerns.

Mr Flynn warned that jobs in the North Sea could be lost to countries such as Brazil and Africa if the Scottish oil and gas industry is wound down “early”.

The future of the industry fell under the spotlight last month after Labour announced controversial plans to end North Sea exploration.

Sir Keir Starmer’s plan was blasted by business leaders in the north-east who criticised the party’s “appalling” engagement with the region.

The Labour leader is due to visit Aberdeen later this summer to meet with industry and union figures who are worried about the direction.

But the party say their plan will deliver “jobs and investment for the city” and have promised there will be “no cliff edge” for the industry.

Jobs threat

Mr Flynn told the podcast that Scotland must secure new renewables technologies or risk being “left behind”.

He said: “What happens at the point, in particular if you have an early shutdown of the North Sea, as I think is Labour’s policy now, is you end up in a situation where the people who work there who can deliver that change…for decades and centuries to come.

“They got and get jobs elsewhere. They’ll go and work in Brazil, they’ll go and work in Africa.

“And then you lose everything. It can’t be one or the other. It has to be holistic. I think the government can get itself to that point.

“I think the Scottish Government will hopefully get itself to that point, I would gently encourage them to.”

The remarks will renew hope that the SNP is considering its policy around the presumption against new North Sea exploration. 

The Press and Journal quizzed First Minister Humza Yousaf on his party’s stance during a visit to Aberdeen on Tuesday.

The SNP leader said he “would need to be convinced of the case for future licences to be granted”.

He added: “We don’t think the north-east’s future is in unlimited extraction of oil and gas. But what I would say is there has to be a nuanced approach.”