AFTER Shell pulled its investment from the Cambo oil field development, it was met with jubilation from climate campaigners and Scottish Green politicians.
Despite entering government earlier this year as part of a co-operation deal with the SNP, Patrick Harvie has not been shy in their opposition of new oil and gas projects in his role as co-leader of the Scottish Greens rather than through his ministerial role.
Harvie described oil as the "industry of the past" and called for an "end to new oil and gas extraction" when the news was first announced.
The SNP has been much more diplomatic. Nicola Sturgeon only recently said that Cambo should not "get the green light".
READ MORE: Inside look at timeline of Cambo oil field row as Shell pulls out of project
The FM's party has not been so celebratory in the seeming end of Cambo as they are keen to attract voters who work in the oil and gas sector.
This is something Stephen Flynn, SNP MP for Aberdeen South, knows well.
Responding to Harvie reportedly saying that only the "hard right" support new North Sea drilling, Flynn recommended toning down the language when jobs are involved.
He tweeted: "Last week a Minister said they had ‘set them straight’. This week a Minister talks of the ‘hard right’. You can support a Just Transition without denigrating an industry that supports the jobs of * thousands* of my constituents. Tone things down and work together to hit net zero."
Last week a Minister said they had ‘set them straight’. This week a Minister talks of the ‘hard right’. You can support a Just Transition without denigrating an industry that supports the jobs of * thousands* of my constituents. Tone things down and work together to hit net zero. https://t.co/IMLIwCQ13s
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) December 3, 2021
The Scottish Tory press office couldn't believe their eyes as the SNP-Green stooshie they have been attempting to foment for the past four months appeared to be happening.
Spinning Harvie's words to fit their narrative, the Scottish Tory Twitter account wrote: "An SNP MP slaps down an SNP-Green Government minister
"@NicolaSturgeon must now distance herself from @patrickharvie’s bitter, divisive rhetoric.
"It’s insulting to label tens of thousands of oil and gas workers 'hard right.'"
READ MORE: Shell's Cambo exit signals end of 'Scotland's oil and gas age', Greens say
But Flynn was quick to highlight the failings of the Tories in the North Sea and beyond.
He replied: "Behave. Your lot have raked in £375 billion from the North Sea; refused to create an oil fund; didn’t lift a finger when the price plummeted last year and thousands of jobs were lost; and just turned down Carbon Capture in the North East - for the second time."
Behave. Your lot have raked in £375billion from the North Sea; refused to create an oil fund; didn’t lift a finger when the price plummeted last year and thousands of jobs were lost; and just turned down Carbon Capture in the North East - for the second time. https://t.co/9EqvgJUCKc
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) December 3, 2021
On the same day that Sturgeon welcomed hundreds of new Scottish jobs set to be created at a wind turbine tower factory - many of which will likely go to those who work in oil and gas as part of the Scottish Government's Just Transition - the Tories have attempted to paint her as the sector's enemy.
Harvie, the Scottish Government's minister for zero carbon buildings, active travel and tenants’ rights, also responded to the obvious spin of the Tory tweet, writing: "No, it was *you* I called hard right, @ScotTories. And your defensiveness suggests that you know it's true."
No, it was *you* I called hard right, @ScotTories. And your defensiveness suggest that you know it's true. https://t.co/EscdhH87vI
— Patrick Harvie 🇪🇺🌈 (@patrickharvie) December 3, 2021
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