John Swinney steps up attack on Labour as he signals oil and gas U-turn

John Swinney has signalled the SNP is set to reverse Nicola Sturgeon’s presumption against new oil and gas developments and will now pursue a “managed transition” - as the First Minister warned against Labour risking energy jobs and bringing forward £28 billion cuts to public services.

Launching his party’s campaign, Mr Swinney also admitted that the upcoming general election is the “biggest challenge the SNP has had for years”.

He also gave party members and supporters his “personal assurance” that “every penny raised” for the SNP “will be spent effectively and appropriately” as he tried to distance himself from the finances investigation still looming over the party.

SNP Leader John Swinney attends the launch of the SNP general election campaign with SNP Westminster candidates and activists. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The SNP leader told activists and candidates at the event in Glasgow that Scottish independence was the only way to counter austerity as he claimed that Keir Starmer is set to continue curtailing spending.

The First Minister has forced a wedge between the SNP and Sir Keir’s party by confirming the party is conducting an “exploration of our position” on whether it supports new oil and gas licences.

Despite new licences being reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government’s draft position is a “presumption against” new fossil fuel developments being given the green light - a position then net zero secretary Michael Matheson set out under Ms Sturgeon’s administration.

The draft strategy also pointed to a potential “acceleration” of the transition away from fossil fuels - but the SNP leader told The Scotsman he is pushing ahead with a “managed transition”.

Voters will not be able to see the Scottish Government’s final position on oil and gas before they go to the polls on July 4 due to election rules - potentially leaving the SNP’s position open to interpretation.

Speaking to the The Scotsman, Mr Swinney said: “There are a whole range of different government publications that I committed to publish before the summer recess which I am not going to be able to publish because of the restrictions in the pre-election guidance that comes into place.

“Documents such as the energy strategy will not be able to be published.”

He added: “I’m interested in achieving net zero but I’m also interested in doing that in a way that does not cause economic damage to the economy of Scotland, particularly to the North East of Scotland.

“So that has to be a managed transition to ensure that we undertake that transition as effectively as we possibly can, minimising our economic damage as a consequence of a transition that has got to be made.”

The campaign launch in Glasgow included a speech by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who is hoping to be re-elected as MP for Aberdeen South, who is seen as wanting to soften the party’s approach to the oil and gas sector.

He told activists that “for decades we have squandered Scotland’s energy potential”, calling on members to “make sure that our energy potential is in Scotland’s hands” as he warned against Labour’s plans for the sector – claiming 100,000 jobs could be at risk.

Scottish Greens environment spokesperson, Mark Ruskell, said that “any shift away from a presumption against new oil and gas exploration would be an act of climate betrayal”.

He added: “It would undermine years of progress we have made in Scotland and send a terrible message to young people and future generations.

“When the previous First Minister committed to opposing new developments it represented a sea change in Scottish politics. Here was one of the first oil-rich states saying that enough was enough and that we have to stop new drilling. We need to hold to that commitment not just today but going forward.

“Over the last few months we have seen the SNP trying to face both ways on fossil fuels. It’s not good enough. We are in a climate emergency and people deserve clarity about what Scotland is doing to tackle it.”

Mr Swinney attacked Labour, jumping on comments by the party’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, claiming he has been “criticising the Tories for not using the private sector enough”.

The SNP leader said: “That sounds an awful lot like creeping privatisation of the NHS to me. The SNP rejects privatisation of the NHS whether that is Tory privatisation or Labour privatisation.”

He warned that “our National Health Service faces a very bleak future”.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Swinney added that “prolonged austerity” from the Conservatives that “needs to come to an end”.

He said: “The Labour party has committed not to increase income tax, not to increase corporation tax, not to increase National Insurance, not to increase VAT, they’ve committed to tight borrowing limits and they’ve committed to tight fiscal spending.

“The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) tell us that for all that to happen, £18 billion of public spending cuts need to happen.

“I intend to make sure that everybody in Scotland knows that will be the consequence of a Labour government between now and July 4 because we can’t have any more austerity.”

In his speech, Mr Swinney warned that “there are some people telling me to forget about independence at this election”.

But he added: “ After looking at Keir Starmer’s serial U-turns in the pursuit of power I think people are crying out for political leadership that sticks to its principles - for leaders who argue for what they believe in.

“And I passionately believe independence is the best opportunity we have to build a more prosperous and fairer country.”

Speaking to journalists, Mr Swinney attempted to distance his leadership from the finances investigation that is still ongoing.

Mr Swinney said: “I give them my personal assurance that every penny raised for the Scottish National Party will be spent effectively and appropriately on the Scottish National Party election campaign and on winning independence.”

Labour has hit back at the accusations over austerity.

Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary, Ian Murray, said: “Mere minutes into the SNP’s chaotic relaunch it was clear that it was shaping up to be a crash landing.

“This is a dysfunctional party that is desperately clutching at straws as they await the reckoning of the Scottish people.

“With almost one in six Scots on NHS waiting lists, our public services in disarray and nearly half a billion of vital funding being handed back it is no wonder that the SNP has decided to attack Labour rather than defend its indefensible record.”

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross accused Mr Swinney of moving to “double down on the SNP’s independence obsession”, instead of “focusing on the people’s real priorities – fixing our ailing public services and growing the economy”.

Mr Ross added: “As he showed in the Matheson scandal, John Swinney will always put party before country. He had the brass neck to say he wants to bring people together, when he is pandering to his Nationalist base and pitting Scot against Scot in a bid to break up the UK.

“Voters who have had enough of SNP incompetence and their endless sowing of division have the chance to punish them on July 4. In key seats across the country, only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP and move the focus on to the issues that really matter.”