A Scottish Labour MP has demanded licences are granted for controversial new North Sea oil and gas fields.
Joani Reid, the granddaughter of trade union legend Jimmy Reid, wants thousands of jobs in the sector to be protected in what will be seen as direct criticism of Energy Minister Ed Miliband who has called the proposed Rosebank development off Shetland “climate vandalism”.
Writing for the Sunday Mail Joani, the PM fort East Kilbride and Strathaven, said: “All this week there has been a buzz at Westminster about whether or not the Labour government should press on with approving the Rosebank oil field off Shetland and the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea.
“Despite them both being approved for drilling more than twenty years ago, the mess the Tories made of the process means the final say on these fields is back on Labour’s desk.
“Some of my colleagues think this is a big test of whether or not we are serious about getting to net zero on weather warping CO2 emissions by 2050. We must cancel the exploitation immediately, they say.
“I disagree. Our manifesto was clear – oil and gas fields already approved for production should go ahead.
“That applies here, and we owe it to the industry and to the workers, across Scotland and all the UK, to stick by our word and guarantee the many well paid, high skilled and trade unionised jobs they will bring.
“Some say we shouldn’t go ahead with Rosebank because it is in the hands of a Norwegian company, Equinor. But if we had banned foreign investors we would never have had any North Sea oil at all.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is also understood to be supportive of Rosebank given the cash it could generate for the Treasury setting up what could be a major clash with Miliband’s department.
Reid added: “When the black stuff starts to flow Equinor will pay taxes like everyone else. And we need those taxes to pay for public services. Others say the fields are so small they can never help guarantee supply or lower prices.
“In the world of Putin and Trump I’m not in favour of abandoning any assurance, but if the fields are so small why all the fuss? Let’s just stick with our manifesto.
“The hardest argument to address is that which says adding to oil production merely prolongs the dependence on fossil fuels when the energy giants should be under pressure to develop alternatives.
“Actually, I agree and I think almost everybody in Labour does too. But most of us also think we need to ensure the transition to the net zero future is an orderly one.
“Given its not in dispute that these fields won’t make a dent on prices and would only matter for security of supply if global markets become unstable, then the question is most of all about what message we send to a watching world – will Labour keep its word to the many thousands of people who work in and around the UK’s continental shelf? I think we should.”
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