Anas Sarwar is being urged to travel to the North East and meet workers facing the consequences of Labour’s Energy Profits Levy as pressure mounts over the damage the tax is inflicting on Scotland’s offshore sector.
SNP MSP Kevin Stewart issued the call after Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves admitted on BBC Radio Scotland that revenue raised from the levy is being used to plug a financial shortfall in Westminster rather than support energy jobs or investment in Scotland.
The admission has fuelled concern in communities that have relied on the North Sea for decades and now face rising bills, shrinking opportunities and growing uncertainty about the future of the industry.
Industry estimates suggest the levy is costing around 1,000 jobs every month across the sector, adding to long standing fears that decisions made in London are placing Scotland’s energy workforce under increasing strain.
The SNP argues that Labour’s approach threatens Scotland’s ability to build a world leading energy sector by weakening existing jobs and slowing the country’s transition into renewables.
Commenting, Kevin Stewart MSP said:
“If Anas Sarwar is still in any doubt about the destruction Labour’s raid on Scotland’s energy sector is causing, then he should come to the North East and look workers in the eye.”
“Rachel Reeves has openly admitted that Scotland’s energy wealth is being siphoned away to fill a black hole in Westminster.
“Meanwhile, communities here are being hit with soaring bills and the loss of 1,000 jobs a month.
“Unions, workers, local businesses and industry leaders are all warning that Labour’s tax is putting our future at risk, yet Sarwar won’t even say if he raised the issue with his London bosses.
“That silence speaks volumes.
“Labour’s tax is wrecking jobs, undermining energy security, and jeopardising our transition to a clean energy future.
“Scotland deserves better. Only independence will give us a fresh start and the power to protect our energy future.”
The levy has been one of the most contentious parts of Labour’s economic programme, with supporters insisting it ensures a fair return from major producers and opponents warning it risks accelerating industrial decline at a pivotal moment in the country’s energy shift.
Communities in the North East argue that decisions made at Westminster do not reflect the economic realities of an area that has supported the UK’s energy needs for fifty years and remains essential to the transition ahead.
With a General Election on the horizon and Scotland’s energy strategy under intense scrutiny, the future of the North Sea is set to remain at the forefront of political debate in the coming months.
Many in the sector say that without a stable policy environment, long term investment will be threatened and the skills built up over generations risk being lost to overseas markets.
The pressure on political leaders to visit affected communities and set out clear plans for the sector is expected to grow as concerns deepen across the workforce.
