Rudd to sign pledge calling for oil and gas industry support

FORMER home secretary Amber Rudd is among five former ministers from across the UK who will sign a pledge calling for support from the UK and Scottish governments for the oil and gas industry.

The cross-party group will sign the declaration in Aberdeen, stressing the importance of the industry for the push to net zero.

The UK Government has set a target of reaching net zero by 2050, while the Scottish Government hopes to do so by 2045.

Along with Rudd – who served in Theresa May’s government and as energy secretary under David Cameron – are Lib Dem MP and former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael, former energy ministers Brian Wilson and Charles Hendry and former Scottish energy minister and current SNP MSP Fergus Ewing.

The former home secretary was appointed earlier this year to a position on the board of Centrica – the owner of British Gas – which has interests in the oil and gas sector.

Along with the declaration, the five also pressed the UK and Scottish governments to act.

A spokesperson for the UK Government said: “The Government has repeatedly said that energy security is our ultimate priority, including supporting the oil and gas sector and its transition. This is why the British Energy Security Strategy sets out how we will accelerate security of supply through cheap renewables, betting big on new nuclear and maximising domestic production of gas in the North Sea.”

While a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government’s position is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations, a position supported by the UK and Scottish governments’ statutory advisers on climate change.”