New Tory MP warns Labour and SNP policies threaten Aberdeen’s oil industry
New Conservative MP Douglas Lumsden says Labour and SNP policies are undermining Aberdeen’s oil and gas industry, which he describes as central to the city’s fortunes. His comments link his Aberdeen South by-election victory to support for North Sea drilling and come amid warnings that investment and jobs could be at risk.
Lumsden said the industry is losing 1,000 jobs a month while the UK imports oil and gas from abroad. Equinor chief executive Anders Opedal warned the company may look elsewhere for future investment if the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields are not approved; the government said decisions would consider evidence, environmental assessments and public representations.
- Lumsden blames Labour and SNP policies for Aberdeen’s industrial decline.
- He cites 1,000 monthly job losses in the sector.
- Equinor warns field decisions could affect future UK investment.
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Aberdeen has built its prosperity on North Sea oil and gas for several decades, with the industry accounting for significant employment and investment in the city. Though the sector remains important to the regional economy, it now faces pressure from climate policies and global shifts towards renewable energy.
The Labour government and Scotland's SNP are currently in power, and their approach to new fossil fuel projects differs from previous Conservative administrations. Some conservatives, including newly elected Aberdeen MP Douglas Lumsden, have argued that this policy direction threatens the region's economic future.
Companies like Equinor, one of the major operators in the North Sea, continue to evaluate whether to invest in new developments such as the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields. Their decisions will partly depend on the regulatory environment and policy support, with industry executives warning that unfavourable conditions could redirect investment elsewhere.
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The case for
The oil and gas industry remains critical to Aberdeen's economy, supporting thousands of jobs and substantial tax revenue. With the UK currently importing fossil fuels from abroad, rejecting domestic production simply shifts carbon emissions elsewhere whilst undermining local prosperity and workers' livelihoods; supporting projects like Jackdaw and Rosebank allows for a managed transition that protects communities rather than abandoning them in pursuit of climate goals that international competitors ignore.
The case against
The UK has legally committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, and approving new oil and gas fields directly contradicts this commitment and pushes the country further behind on essential climate action. Continued investment in fossil fuels delays the economic transition to renewables, which creates jobs and sustainable industries; companies like Equinor have the capital to lead on renewable energy, and supporting a managed shift away from oil protects both global climate stability and Aberdeen's long-term economic future rather than mortgaging it to a declining industry.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Tory MP claims Europe’s former oil capital is being ‘sabotaged’ by the choices of Labour and SNP governments”.