Former SNP energy secretary condemns ‘extreme’ Green policies for oil and gas

A former SNP energy secretary for Scotland has taken aim at “extreme” Scottish Green policies on the country’s oil and gas production which he said will be required for “a much longer period.”

Fergus Ewing condemned the SNP’s powersharing partners amid ongoing tension over supplies from Russia in the wake of the invasion in Ukraine.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she will not support new North Sea fields, including the now stalled Cambo development off Shetland.

But Mr Ewing said “we need all the oil and gas production we can get for the short and the medium term”.

Speaking to ITV Border’s Representing Border programme on Wednesday, the MSP for Inverness and Nairn said: “The transition [period] will last for decades.

“Not two or three years, five or 10 years, but we will still require oil and gas for a much longer period.

“Every day household products, drugs in the NHS, anaesthetics, we require hydrocarbons for all of these things, let’s not forget that.

“It’s not possible just to produce oil and gas for anaesthetics and abandon it for everything else, the industry doesn’t work like that.”

Asked if Ms Sturgeon had made a mistake by bringing the Greens into her government, Mr Ewing said that is a question that should be directed at the First Minister.

He added: “I can’t say that I’m a great enthusiast for the policies of the Green Party that do seem to me to be somewhat extreme.

“Particularly policy of sacrificing the people in our oil and gas industry. I think they are amongst the best in the world.

“They do a great job. They keep the lights on, they keep the heating on in our homes. That’s valuable.

“We should be praising and thanking them, not saying that they should get their P45s tomorrow.”