<\/p>\n
Oil & gas will feature strongly in the forthcoming by-election<\/p>\n
MPs have been told that only a \u201ccomplete whacko\u201d would scale back North Sea oil and gas production, exposing the UK to foreign supplies and denying itself billions in tax revenues.<\/p>\n
After MPs rejected a Tory move to grant licences to the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho accused Labour whips of telling MPs to \u201cvote to shut down the\u00a0North Sea\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Commons voted 108 to 323 against the proposed amendment to the\u00a0King\u2019s Speech\u00a0which introduced the Energy Independence Bill to accelerate the development of renewable energy.<\/p>\n
Ms Coutinho said the Government\u2019s position would leave the UK more reliant on higher-emission gas from Qatar or the US and exposed to imports from Norway.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThis is the single greatest act of industrial self-harm we have seen in a generation. Only a complete whacko would respond to a supply shortage by shutting down their own oil and gas industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband defended the government\u2019s policy, telling MPs \u00a390 billion of private investment had gone towards clean energy since the 2024 general election.<\/p>\n
Ed Miliband: we are deeply vulnerable<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not in favour of a \u2018turning off the taps\u2019 position but, I\u2019ll just be honest with the House, nor are we in favour of a drilling every last drop,\u201d said Mr Miliband.<\/p>\n
The debate came just weeks before voters go to the polls in Aberdeen South where the issue will be a hot topic.<\/p>\n
Ahead of today\u2019s vote, new SNP\u00a0Westminster leader Dave Doogan said: \u201cThe Labour government must scrap its punitive tax on Scotland\u2019s energy, which has destroyed thousands of Scottish oil and gas jobs and put our energy security at risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cWestminster is treating Scottish oil and gas jobs as expendable. The Tories introduced this damaging tax, and the Labour Party has continued it. They must both take responsibility and apologise for taking a wrecking ball to Scottish jobs and our vital energy industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor more than 50 years, successive Labour and Tory governments have taken over \u00a3400billion of Scotland\u2019s energy wealth to Westminster and failed to deliver the investment Scotland needs. That must end now.<\/p>\n
The Energy Secretary doubled down on Labour\u2019s green priorities, saying: \u201cWhile we remain exposed to the fossil fuel rollercoaster, we are deeply vulnerable as a country<\/p>\n
\u201cOur sovereignty, our security and the British people\u2019s living standards are undermined by this dependence and exposure because \u2013 for a simple reason \u2013 we do not control the price of oil and gas, which is set on international markets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t #Coutinho #whacko #shut #oil #gas #Daily #Business<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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