Harbour Energy: Keir Starmer confronted by SNP's Stephen Flynn and Kemi Badenoch over 250 North Sea job cuts

The Prime Minister has been confronted over Scottish job losses by both Stephen Flynn and Kemi Badenoch, at a heated PMQs.

Sir Keir Starmer was challenged on supporting North Sea jobs after it was announced 250 onshore roles in Aberdeen were being cut by Harbour Energy.

The firm explained it was taking the decision because of “the Government’s ongoing punitive fiscal position and a challenging regulatory environment”.

Mr Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, claimed Labour was at fault.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn speaking during Prime Minister's Questions | House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire

He said: "Mr Speaker, prior to the election the Prime Minister promised that energy bills would come down. They continue to rise.

“He promised that he would save the refinery at Grangemouth. It is shut. And of course he promised he would unleash a generation of secure energy jobs in my city of Aberdeen.

“Well today, Harbour Energy, the largest independent player in the North Sea, have announced that they're about to shed their workforce by 25 per cent.

“That's 250 jobs in my constituency gone in the blink of his eye and do you know who they blame Mr Speaker? They blame the policies of the Labour Party.

“So can I ask the Prime Minister, in fact can I invite the Prime Minister, to come to Aberdeen and explain to my constituents why he is willing to move heaven and earth to save jobs in Scunthorpe while destroying jobs in Scotland?”

The oil refinery at Grangemouth has now closed amid the drive to achieve net-zero carbon emissions (Picture: Andrew Milligan) | PA

The prime minister replied that Labour has committed £200m to the Grangemouth oil refinery in Scotland, and accused Mr Flynn of attempting to distract from the SNP's "disastrous" record.

Net Zero policy criticised

Sir Keir was also challenged by the Tory leader, with Ms Badenoch using the job losses to criticise the net zero policy, something she recently U-turned on.

Ms Badenoch said: "This morning 250 more jobs losses have been announced in the North Sea, and yet the amount of gas the UK is importing is doubling.

"So why is he shutting down the North Sea rather that getting our oil and gas out of the ground and making energy cheaper?

“The Prime Minister talks about clean energy, we have the second highest amount of renewables on the grid in Europe and yet we still have the highest energy bills. This is not about clean energy.

“The Prime Minister has broken another promise, he won’t admit it, but isn’t the truth that he can’t cut energy bills because of his net zero policy?”

Sir Keir replied: “Energy bills on fossil fuel have fluctuated massively in the last three years because we’re exposed to the international market.

“The only way to get bills down is to go to renewable energy, it’s something she used to believe in.”

In a statement, managing director of Harbour Energy’s UK business had said: “Harbour is launching a review of its UK operations, which we expect to result in a reduction of around 250 onshore roles in our Aberdeen-based business unit.

“The review is unfortunately necessary to align staffing levels with lower levels of investment, due mainly to the Government’s ongoing punitive fiscal position and a challenging regulatory environment.

“We are also reviewing the resourcing required to support our Viking carbon capture and storage project, where progress beyond front-end engineering design and the recent securing of a Development Consent Order has been hindered by repeated delays to the Government’s Track 2 process.”

The issue was also raised by the Scottish Tories, with shadow energy secretary Douglas Lumsden describing the news as “devastating”.

He said: "Harbour have pointed directly at Labour policy as being the catalyst for shedding jobs. Confidence in the sector is at rock bottom, as Grangemouth stops refining and domestic oil and gas production craters.

"This is what happens when the SNP and Labour governments spend years demonising oil and gas. That, and the increased burden of Labour’s windfall tax and National Insurance hikes, has created a perfect storm.

“John Swinney must bring forward the SNP’s energy strategy, which is years overdue, before there is jobs catastrophe in the North Sea.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives are standing up for our oil and gas industry in the face of the open hostility of two out-of-touch left-wing governments.”