MSPs warning Sturgeon not to ‘betray’ North Sea oil workers

North Sea oil workers and rural communities must not be “betrayed” by the new SNP-Green Scottish Government, the first minister was warned.

MSPs raised concerns about the economy in their first meeting since the coalition deal was announced.

Conservatives seized the opportunity to claim Nicola Sturgeon will jeopardise jobs in the north-east by rapidly moving away from oil and gas.

And one of Ms Sturgeon’s SNP colleagues said regions such as the Highlands and Islands will need to be told how a shift away from cars on to public transport will be practical.

The exchanges were made as MSPs formally voted in two Green ministers – Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater – to the Scottish Government.

It follows a plan published by Ms Sturgeon on August 20 for the parties to work together, tackling the climate emergency and pushing towards another independence referendum.

North East Conservative MSP Liam Kerr demanded to know if Ms Sturgeon shared Green ambitions on oil and gas, including ending new extraction at fields such as Cambo.

He asked Ms Sturgeon to say if she supported previous suggestions from Ms Slater that the industry could be wound down in just four years.

Ms Sturgeon announced a new £500 million “just transition” deal in her SNPGreen co-operation agreement – but has not yet set out details of how it will operate.

She earlier wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking for Westminster to review new and existing licenses before more North Sea oil production is permitted offshore.

“We face an inescapable emergency,” Ms Sturgeon told MSPs. “We have to

recognise that it is not any longer consistent with tackling that climate emergency simply to assume we can go on with unlimited extraction of fossil fuels.

“But we must support a fair and just transition.”

Mr Kerr said the first minister had dodged the question facing people across the north-east.

“The Greens treat the oil and gas sector like dirt,” he claimed. “Nicola Sturgeon’s refusal to speak against Lorna Slater’s views on closing down the sector is a betrayal to the north-east.”

Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Emma Roddick called for her party leader to explain what the deal will mean to people in rural areas and pushed for infrastructure improvements – including the doubling of the Highland mainline and the Inverness-Aberdeen line.

Ms Roddick said there is “lots to look forward to” in the SNP-Green agreement, but added: “Many outwith the central belt, or city centres, are eagerly waiting to hear how a greater focus on active travel and public transport can benefit them.

“As a region which is currently widely dependent on car travel, can the Highlands and Islands expect to see real improvement in rail infrastructure – perhaps including the doubling of the Highland mainline and the Inverness-Aberdeen line, and improvement to the Far North and West Highland lines – as a result of this deal?”

Sturgeon admitted travel has to be developed more in the region, given the “reliance” on cars.

She said there are longer term projects under discussion – including battery trains in the Highlands.

Shifting away from car reliance “absolutely depends on developing alternatives,” Ms Sturgeon said.

There are fears north-east jobs could be jeopardised.