Scottish Secretary Ian Murray (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Ian Murray blames SNP for industrial decline after Grangemouth refinery closure

EXCLUSIVE: The Labour Cabinet Minister accused the Nationalist Government of squandering opportunities on green jobs.

by · Daily Record

Labour Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has blamed the SNP for the country’s industrial decline in the wake of job losses at Grangemouth.

Murray said the Scottish Government is guilty of “short term fixes” and “empty promises” on the transition to net zero and green jobs.

Scotland has been hit by bad news on the jobs front at the Grangemouth oil refinery, Mitsubishi in Livingston and the Harland and Wolff firm.

Speaking to the Record, Murray said a top priority for the UK Government is repairing the foundations of Scotland’s “fragile industrial economy”.

He said: “This UK Labour Government is facing the worst economic inheritance since the Second World War.

“What we didn’t know was that there was an unforeseen in-year £22 billion black hole in the public finances that the Tories tried to hide."

He continued: “The Treasury reserves were spent 3 times in just 3 months. I’m just astonished at that. I can’t believe that barely 18 months after crashing the economy with a series of unfunded promises the Tories were already to do it all over again and lie to the public about it.”

But he also claimed the problems are “structural” and pointed the finger at the SNP Government over the past seventeen years.

He said of recent job losses: “There is an overarching issue which is Scotland is now feeling the consequences of more than a decade without an industrial strategy Scotland has a proud industrial past – and it could have a bright industrial future which guarantees jobs and wealth for families for generations to come of we get the transition to net zero right.

“But that requires us to fix the foundations, and get a long-term plan in place. Not short term fixes. Not populism and empty promises.

“It was 13 years ago that Alex Salmond declared Scotland would be the Saudi Arabia of renewables.

“Instead skilled Scottish workers have sat back and watched jobs go overseas."

He also accused Nicola Sturgeon and her successors of blowing cash raised by the offshore ScotWind licences:

“It was seven years ago that Nicola Sturgeon promised a publicly owned energy company.

“Instead the Scottish Government is using ScotWind licences to plug the gap in their finances not investing in long term infrastructure.

“This stuff is difficult. It needs to be more than just a headline. It’s why this government’s approach to mission driven policy over a decade is such a break from the politics of the last decade in Scotland and across the UK.”

He said the Government will establish a UK Industrial Strategy Council to provide expert advice, promote “Brand Scotland” globally and establish the publicly owned GB Energy.

Scottish politics

SNP Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: Growing the economy is a priority of the Programme for Government and builds on more than a decade of progress.

“Since 2007, accounting for population growth, GDP per capita in Scotland has grown by 10.7%, compared to 5.6% across the UK as a whole. Over the same period productivity has grown at an average of 1% a year compared to 0.4% in the UK.

“There is more to be done and the Green Industrial Strategy I launched last week aims to place Scotland at the forefront of the net zero economy, with targeted actions to secure growth and investment. We have already committed up to £500 million to develop Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain, growing the sector and supporting thousands of new jobs.”

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