Soaring diesel prices have reignited the political row over the closure of the Grangemouth refinery, with the SNP accusing the UK Government of ignoring warnings about the impact on fuel costs.
The party says ministers pressed ahead despite being warned that closing the refinery could increase diesel prices across the UK by 10% and leave the country more exposed to international price shocks.
Grangemouth was a major producer of diesel, petrol and jet fuel, with the SNP saying approximately 15% of the UK’s diesel was produced at the refinery.
The party argues that replacing that domestic production with imported fuel has left the UK more vulnerable when international supplies are disrupted.
That argument has returned to the forefront as diesel prices have surged to well over £2 per litre across parts of the UK amid disruption in the Middle East.
The SNP says the average cost of filling a car has risen by £32 since the beginning of the year and argues that international events cannot entirely explain the pressures now being felt by motorists.
The party has also renewed its criticism of the UK Government over the £200 million committed to support the future of Grangemouth, claiming that none of the money has yet been delivered.
SNP MSP Martyn Day said:
“The Labour Party ignored warnings that allowing Grangemouth to close would increase the price of diesel and the current fuel crisis shows the foolishness of this decision.
“Scotland is an energy-rich country and it’s shameful that Scottish families are paying the price for years of Westminster failure with soaring energy bills, sky-high fuel prices and insufficient fuel supplies.
“The Labour Party can’t solely shift the blame on the war in Iran, they were warned that relying on imported oil left the UK vulnerable to price shocks, yet they went ahead with it.
“Scots were promised change but the Labour Party closed Grangemouth, destroyed thousands of Scottish jobs in the North Sea, and have presided over soaring energy and fuel prices, with energy bills that will soon be £1,000 higher than promised.
“People in Grangemouth and across Scotland are fed up with soaring bills caused by Westminster decisions.
“With the fresh start of independence, we can build a stronger and wealthier country, in which the Scottish energy industry will be backed to succeed.”
The SNP says the current pressure on motorists demonstrates why maintaining domestic energy and refining capacity matters when international markets become unstable.
Its argument is that Grangemouth should have been protected rather than allowing Scotland to become more reliant on imported fuel, with the latest surge in diesel prices now putting that decision firmly back into the political spotlight.
