John Swinney accused of 'weakly watching on' during SNP oil and gas 'civil war'

Rosebank and Jackdaw are contentious topics in the SNP | Iconic

John Swinney has been accused of “weakly watching on” as a “civil war over energy plays out in public” after the SNP’s longest serving MP criticised North Sea oil and gas.

Pete Wishart, whose Perth and Kinross-shire seat crosses over the First Minister’s patch, said the Jackdaw gas field would “make absolutely no difference to energy bills but will have a profound impact on our already chaotic climate”.

It comes as the consultation for the gas field ended on Monday.

Earlier this year, Mr Swinney signalled a major change in the SNP's position due to the "huge volatility" caused by the war in Iran.

He said the disruption in the Middle East had altered the "dynamics" of the debate around developments such as Rosebank and Jackdaw.

The SNP lost the Aberdeen South by-election earlier this year - something which has been blamed for not backing the oil and gas sector.

Mr Wishart posted on social media “Rosebank alone will produce more CO2 than the annual emissions of the world’s 28 lowest-income countries combined.

“It will make absolutely no difference to energy bills but will have a profound impact on our already chaotic climate.”

The decision over whether to give the Rosebank oil field, north west of Shetland, and the Jackdaw gas field, 150 miles east of Aberdeen, is for the UK Government.

New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has indicated that he is willing to approve both projects.

Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie thinks both should go ahead.

He said the SNP was being “contradicted” by Mr Wishart.

Mr Downie said: “The SNP’s civil war over energy is now playing out in public with John Swinney weakly watching on as his MPs and MSPs play politics with energy jobs in Scotland.

"While the SNP in Aberdeen have spent months weakly trying to convince energy workers they understand the importance of oil and gas, they are being contradicted by their longest serving MP.

"Meanwhile, this UK Labour government is taking a serious and pragmatic approach to offshore energy. We recognise that oil and gas will remain part of the UK’s energy mix for decades to come but that we also need to do more to invest in the industries and infrastructure needed to build a low-carbon economy and create the jobs of the future.

“While Labour is getting on with the job of securing investment and protecting energy jobs, the SNP is still arguing amongst itself about whether those jobs should exist at all.”

Two of the Scottish Labour leadership candidates, Joe Fagan and Michael Marra, have said they support Rosebank and Jackdaw.

Monica Lennon has not said anything about the projects during the contest, but previously celebrated a court decision which was a set back for the projects.

New Tory MP Douglas Lumsden successfully beat the SNP in the Aberdeen South by-election this summer amid the uncertainty for the sector.

The seat had been vacated by SNP cabinet secretary Stephen Flynn, who left Westminster for Holyrood.

SNP MSP Jackie Dunbar said: "Graham Downie's words will go down like a lead balloon with workers in Scotland.

"He should explain what is "pragmatic" about destroying 1000 energy jobs a month through their hated tax on Scotland's energy?

"The so-called "party of working people" betrayed our offshore industry with our workers, our energy security and our economy paying the price.

"Labour Party MPs sat silent as our premier industry was put under attack and Scottish energy workers can see right through it."