Scotland's First Minister has drawn sharp criticism over his government's position on North Sea oil and gas exploration. John Swinney told MSPs on Thursday that his administration opposed the UK Government's attempts to ban all new exploration in the North Sea, a shift from the previous Scottish Government stance that had supported a presumption against new drilling.
Anti-fossil fuel campaigners questioned the change in approach. Dr Rosie Hampton, principal policy adviser at Uplift, said the First Minister's position was "incoherent" and that new licensing would not meaningfully improve Scotland's energy security. She pointed out that North Sea employment in the sector had more than halved over the past decade and described the basin as ageing and in decline. She argued that even the oil and gas industry itself now accepts that a ban on new exploration licences is justified.
Environmental campaigners contended that maintaining dependence on fossil fuels would not help households struggling with energy bills, which is what concerns people most. They argued that Scotland should instead invest in homegrown renewables to create secure, long-term jobs. Scottish Green energy spokesman Kristopher Leask said the First Minister was "pouring petrol on a fire" by betting Scotland's energy future on a dwindling supply of oil and gas that would chiefly benefit multinational corporations.
Opposition politicians also attacked the position. Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay accused Swinney of being "two-faced" and suggested the First Minister was using the issue for political gain rather than supporting workers. Reform UK energy spokesman Duncan Massey called a ban on new drilling "perverse economic self-harm", arguing that a modern economy needs cheap, abundant, reliable energy including fossil fuels for years to come, alongside renewables and nuclear power.
The controversy reflects broader disagreement over Scotland's energy strategy as the country transitions away from oil and gas. Leask noted that oil and gas jobs are being lost because the resource is running out, and he called for proper investment in the affected workforce in the North East, Orkney and Shetland rather than using the issue for political points.