A UK Labour minister says GB Energy will prove to be a “gamechanger” for the city as she defended the scheme following a jobs row.
Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill visited Aberdeen this week to hear concerns over the region’s transition away from oil and gas.
Her trip came on the day it emerged it could take 20 years to deliver on a pledge to deliver 1,000 jobs at GB Energy’s Aberdeen HQ.
In an interview with the P&J, also published on our politics podcast The Stooshie, Ms McNeill said the UK Government has “got cracking”.
It recently delivered an energy skills passport for oil and gas workers looking to transition into jobs in clean energy.
And she said ministers have got going straight away with setting up the new publicly-owned energy firm in the Granite City.
Labour says this will own, manage and operate clean power projects up and down the country, backed by £8.3 billion of investment.
Ms McNeill said: “There’s been a lot of debate over the last few weeks about the fact that some of our plans and proposals will take time to bear fruit but I think the Scottish people are so canny, they know that.
“The fact that things take time is a reason to crack on. It’s not a reason to just say ‘oh we have to wait so let’s not’.”
The Scotland Office minister also defended her government against criticism from opponents that GB Energy could end up little more than a gimmick.
On the jobs total, Ms McNeill said: “We said there’d be about 200 to 300 jobs directly in GB Energy and then it will take time for that wider 1,000 but actually what that’s not taking account of is all the jobs in the supply chain.
“GB Energy is going to be an absolute gamechanger for Aberdeen and for the wider region.”
Labour’s plan to ban new oil and gas licences and increase and extend the windfall tax on oil and gas firms have been met with widespread opposition in the region.
‘That concern is visceral’
North East Labour MSP Michael Marra, who joined Ms McNeill on the visit, said he understands fears as the region looks to transition to cleaner energy.
“We hear that loud and clear and are making sure that we continue to talk to the industry to make sure it’s baked in for decades to come,” he said.
Listen to The Stooshie podcast for more on this interview and the future of jobs
Conversation