Scottish Labour Leader Urges Approval of Rosebank Oil Field
Michael Marra highlights potential job creation and economic benefits, contrasting it with the Jackdaw gas field decision.
The leader of Scottish Labour, Michael Marra, has urged the Energy Secretary to approve the Rosebank oil development, emphasizing its potential to boost jobs and the economy.
Marra's call comes amid reports that Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is poised to reject Rosebank, even after granting consent for the Jackdaw gas field near Aberdeen. The decision for Rosebank is considered more complex because a significant portion of its oil is intended for export, unlike the Jackdaw gas which is for domestic use and could enhance UK energy security in the short term.
"I support Rosebank because of the jobs and economic activity approving the field would support," Marra stated. He acknowledged, however, that the Energy Secretary faces a different quasi-legal test for oil destined for export compared to gas for domestic consumption.
The issue has caused divisions within the Labour party, with some left-wing Members of Parliament advocating for Rosebank's rejection to demonstrate the government's commitment to tackling climate change. Conversely, Scottish Conservative MP Douglas Lumsden has also written to Fahnbulleh, encouraging approval by Christmas. Lumsden argued that rejecting the project would be "cruel, unnecessary and uneconomic," citing its potential to support 1,600 to 2,000 jobs during peak construction and create up to 525 long-term, UK-based positions.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero responded to the reports of a potential rejection by stating, "This is speculation. As the Energy Secretary has said, each project will be assessed on its own merits."