100,000 jobs threatened by Sir Keir Starmer’s shady energy plans
by Only a vote for the SNP can protect thousands of jobs in Scotland’s offshore and engineering sector by sending a clear signal to Keir Starmer to abandon his weak, disastrous and shady energy plans.
The SNP’s Stephen Flynn has challenged Labour to admit their plans would “shaft Scottish workers” and “put Scottish workers on the scrap heap just like Margaret Thatcher did” – after Angela Rayner made false and contradictory claims on the BBC’s Leaders Debate.
When challenged by Stephen Flynn, on warnings from both industry and trade unions that Labour plans would destroy 100,000 offshore jobs, Angela Rayner claimed their plans would mean “more than 100,000 jobs in Scotland”.
Not only is there no evidence for such a policy but Rayner’s claim directly contradicts previous claims by her party.
In November, Sir Keir Starmer claimed his party’s now scrapped plan to invest £28 billion a year in green energy would create 50,000 jobs in Scotland.
But in February, Starmer u-turned on this policy and slashed the proposed investment by 83% to just £4.7 billion a year. This was despite saying his support for the plan was ‘unwavering’ only the day before!
Not only did Starmer cut the promised investment massively, his party proposed extra taxation on the offshore industry to partly pay for their watered down plans – a situation that threatens 100,000 offshore jobs and, with it, Scotland’s transition to a Net Zero renewable energy future.
Yet last month, Anas Sarwar was claiming the plan would somehow now create 69,000 jobs – an increase of 19,000 despite the 83% funding cut.
Now we have the extraordinary situation where Angela Rayner claims the plan will create “hundreds of thousands of jobs” despite their massive cut in investment.
It’s another example of how Labour take the voters of Scotland for granted. They think they can make promises that defy common sense.
With Starmer ignoring workers warning about his threat to Scotland’s Net Zero renewable energy future, it’s no wonder the Unite Union has refused to endorse Keir Starmer’s manifesto due to this threat to offshore jobs. Unite has also taken the unprecedented step of taking out adverts criticising Labour in Scottish newspapers.
And Keir Starmer’s energy policy looks even more confused with him being forced to admit his proposed ‘GB Energy’ is not an energy company at all, and the industry warning its funding plan ‘does not make sense’
It will only be a private investment vehicle that won’t produce any energy, sell any energy, own any energy infrastructure or reduce bills.
Like with so many other promises Keir Starmer’s Labour have misled voters with a series of false, dishonest and contradictory claims that don’t add up.
In contrast, it is the SNP which will stand up for Scotland and defend Scottish jobs.
Only a vote for the SNP will send the message to an incoming Labour government that their plans are unwanted.
Only with a vote for the SNP can we move to ensuring every penny of Scotland’s energy wealth is spent in Scotland to reduce bills, create jobs and secure growth.
On 4th July, vote SNP to protect Scottish jobs and put Scotland’s interests first.