ANAS Sarwar's relaunch of "Green Labour" just over a week ago has been called into question after he met with oil and gas lobbyists.
The Scottish Labour leader announced last Friday (November 19) that the party was "relaunching Green Labour".
He said at the time that people should join them in their campaign to "demand governments turn their words into action so we can save our planet".
Campaigners and Green politicians have called out the ambitions of Labour as they were pictured meeting with Oil and Gas UK (OGUK), a trade body for the offshore oil and gas industry.
OGUK tweeted a picture of Sarwar and Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra at their offices, saying they discussed "the oil & gas industry’s central role in Scotland’s energy mix & as major employer across our energy communities".
Expected a lot more from @AnasSarwar @michaeljmarra @ScottishLabour @OGUKenergy is actively defending Cambo & dozens of new offshore oil & gas projects. Their position dangerously ignores climate science.
— StopCambo (@StopCambo) November 26, 2021
Each new project is incompatible with climate action & a #JustTransition https://t.co/QTExkU2jVr
StopCambo, the group campaigning against the development of the Cambo oil field, was disappointed to see the meeting.
They tweeted: "Expected a lot more from @AnasSarwar @michaeljmarra @ScottishLabour
"@OGUKenergy is actively defending Cambo & dozens of new offshore oil & gas projects. Their position dangerously ignores climate science.
"Each new project is incompatible with climate action & a #JustTransition."
READ MORE: Monica Lennon steps down from Scottish Labour shadow cabinet position
Scottish Labour has previously come out against Cambo, an oil field located to the northwest of Shetland that has not yet been developed.
However, it was from the party's now-former net zero, energy and transport spokesperson, Monica Lennon.
Lennon called on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to publically oppose Cambo, which she has since said should not get the green light from Boris Johnson's government, which has the ability to give it the go-ahead.
Lorna Slater, Scottish Greens co-leader and Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, replied to Sarwar's Green Labour tweet saying: "Not going very well though is it?"
Not going very well though is it?https://t.co/k6xKXF68Tn
— Lorna Slater (@lornaslater) November 27, 2021
She then pointed out Labour's previous opposition to Cambo in Holyrood, adding "how times change".
Marra, Scottish Labour's shadow education and skills secretary, later clarified details of the discussion, tweeting: "Good meeting with [OGUK] yesterday talking net zero, jobs first transition, grid capacity, carbon capture, household energy bills, radical demand reduction, skills, research and more. Transition is no 1 economic issue for Scotland."
He then responded to Slater, tweeting: "This industry employs 75,000 people in Scotland. It is crucial to our tax base, energy security, supply chains and vital to our transition to net zero.
"Nationalist gov ministers think nobody should speak to the industry? Extraordinary. No wonder they can’t achieve anything."
This industry employs 75,000 people in Scotland. It is crucial to our tax base, energy security, supply chains and vital to our transition to net zero.
— Michael Marra MSP (@michaeljmarra) November 27, 2021
Nationalist gov ministers think nobody should speak to the industry? Extraordinary. No wonder they can’t achieve anything. https://t.co/QAP6yLmhiT
OGUK has been contacted for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel