ENERGY STANCE AN ACT OF NATIONAL SELF HARM

Labour and SNP slated for 'crippling communities' over North Sea oil

- RICHARD ELIAS

LABOUR and the SNP were yesterday accused of conducting an ideological war over North Sea oil and gas.

Critics said the parties' stance was crippling communities and forcing up energy bills across the whole of Scotland.

Scottish Tory Douglas Lumsden, left, said: "The stance of Labour and the SNP amounts to an act of national self-harm which is devastating North East communities and leading to higher fuel bills for everyone by forcing us to rely on costly imported fossil fuels.” The warning comes ahead of tomorrow’s Budget in which the Chancellor is being urged to remove a levy which experts say is crippling the sector.

In another bodyblow to the industry last week, ExxonMobil announced it was closing its ethylene plant at Mossmorran in Fife with the loss of around 400 jobs.

And in April, 30 miles away, Scotland’s only oil refinery at Grangemouth closed its doors for the final time making 450 people redundant after a century of production.

Now, critics are pleading for the oil and gas sector to be given the opportunity to expand and with it boost employment and the economy at the same time.

The Scottish Tories have been leading the call for a change in strategy from MSPs to support and invest in the North Sea.