Ash Regan the SNP MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, and candidate in the leadership election, says that harnessing Scotland’s energy potential would be one of her top priorities.
She believes that every major political party has let down the North East of Scotland and that it is time for a radical change in direction. Speaking in Fraserburgh on Sunday Ms Regan said: “Every major party has turned its back on North East oil and gas workers, despite the fact that it is the revenues from North Sea windfall taxes that are currently keeping the whole UK finances almost solvent.
“It seems like some politicians would rather import hydrocarbons from overseas than sustain jobs at home in the North Sea. It is a position which will do nothing to help Scotland’s net zero ambitions and will simply export jobs internationally.
“Meanwhile, the Tory Government has relegated the St Fergus Acorn carbon capture project to the B league of applications. Instead of pushing ahead with this excellent project they have followed in the long list of sellouts of the North East carbon capture proposals. In 2007 the Brown/Darling Labour Government ditched the Miller project for Peterhead power station. If they had backed it then we would be well on our way to a clean burn hydrogen economy in the North East of Scotland.
“As First Minister, I would make The Acorn Project a number one priority, part of a daily demand to move forward with carbon capture. Instead of freezing developing the North Sea we will support new offshore developments on the basis that they have a carbon capture proposal as a licence condition.
“In that way we can reconcile the saving of Scottish jobs with the future of the planet. In this election I am the change candidate. No government which I lead will ever again sell out North Sea workers.”
Announcing that she will be visiting the Net Zero Technology Centre Aberdeen during her campaign, Ms Regan said: “The question is not whether we get to net zero – we have no choice but to meet this planetary imperative – but how we get there. I say we get there by using technology and our brains and not by turning our backs on the North Sea workforce.”
Accompanying Ms Regan, Joanna Cherry KC MP said: “Ash Regan is the candidate with clarity – clarity on Independence, clarity on women’s rights, and clarity on reuniting the national movement. She is a breath of fresh air in a campaign disfigured by mud slinging.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
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