SNP telling ‘scare stories’ on oil and gas, Scottish Greens claim - but are they ‘rewriting history?’

The SNP is telling "scare stories" about plans to extend the windfall tax on oil and gas giants and "rewriting history" when it comes to its stance on new North Sea licences, the Scottish Greens have said.

Lorna Slater, the Greens co-leader, accused the SNP of U-turning on fossil fuels and leading Scotland in a "shameful retreat". It came as the Greens formally launched their general election campaign at an event in Stirling on Monday morning. The party called for an end to new oil and gas licences and a ban on fossil fuel advertising.

The SNP and the Greens previously had a co-operation agreement at Holyrood, but this was scrapped by Humza Yousaf, the former first minister, in April. This decision ultimately led to Mr Yousaf being replaced by John Swinney, who took over as SNP leader and First Minister last month, and appointed Kate Forbes as his deputy.

An oil platform in the North Sea. Picture: SWNS

Last week, Ms Forbes said the Scottish Government had never been against the granting of new oil and gas licences in the North Sea. She said new licences, which are reserved to the UK government, must be considered on a "case-by-case basis, with robust climate compatibility and energy security being key considerations".

The SNP has also spoken out against Labour's plan to expand and extend the windfall tax on oil and gas giants, claiming it risks tens of thousands of jobs.

Speaking at Made in Stirling, a community art space and hub, on Monday, Ms Slater accused the SNP of "telling scare stories to stop some of the world's biggest polluters from paying windfall tax".

She said: "I said the Scottish Greens would always be honest about what the climate crisis means, so here it is – issuing new oil and gas licences in the North Sea flies in the face of science and what the experts are advising."

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Ms Slater added: "Even the International Energy Agency has said that there can be no new investment in fossil fuels if we are to avoid catastrophic levels of climate change.

"So when the Deputy First Minister [Kate Forbes] says 'we're not against new oil and gas licenses and we've never said we are', she's not just rewriting history, she's leading Scotland in a shameful retreat.

"It wasn't long ago that Scotland offered genuine climate leadership to the world at COP26 in Glasgow. Now the SNP are back to the inward-looking, conservative instincts of 'It's Scotland's Oil'.”

Ms Slater urged voters not to "waste your vote on parties who hide their heads in the sand", adding: "Don't waste it on politicians too invested in the status quo to offer the change they promised you. We are running out of time, but there is still hope – and you have the power to make a difference."

Speaking to The Scotsman after the launch, her co-leader Patrick Harvie ridiculed the SNP's 'case-by-case' approach to new oil and gas licences. He said it was a "contradiction in terms", adding: "It's a bit like a 40-a-day smoker being told by their doctor 'you're killing yourself – you need to stop'. And they respond 'well, I'm going to judge each cigarette on a case-by-case basis'. It simply doesn't make any sense."

Elsewhere, the Greens said the next Westminster government must come under “sustained” and “unrelenting” pressure to give Scotland the power to hold a referendum on its future in the UK.

Mr Harvie said the Scottish Green manifesto, due to be published next week, would set out how powers held at Westminster could be used to “create a fairer future for all”.

But he added: “The only way we can deliver those plans is for Scotland to be able to choose its own way. That starts by Westminster granting the Scottish Parliament the power to hold constitution referendums, so the people of Scotland can make their choice about their future at a time of their choosing.”

Mr Harvie insisted: “The next UK government must be under immediate and sustained, unrelenting pressure to make this change. It is our fundamental democratic right and can’t be denied any longer.”

The Greens are fielding a record 44 candidates in the election.

Analysis: Is the SNP rewriting history?

Last week, Kate Forbes said the SNP had been “absolutely crystal clear” in its support for a “just transition” in the oil and gas sector. But she said the party had “never said no” to new developments in the North Sea.

Instead, the Deputy First Minister said new licences must be considered on a “case-by-case basis”. She told MSPs: "Any further extraction must be consistent with our climate obligations, and we must approach licensing on a rigorously evidence-led, case-by-case basis, with robust climate compatibility and energy security being key considerations.”

Oil and gas licensing is reserved to the UK government, but the political climate in Scotland still matters, particularly during an election. The SNP has heavily criticised Labour’s plan to expand and extend the windfall tax on oil and gas giants, claiming it puts tens of thousands jobs at risk. It knows the proposals will be a source of concern in the north-east.

But is the SNP rewriting recent history on oil and gas, as the Greens claim? Well, the Nationalist mood music has certainly changed. The SNP Government previously proposed a presumption against new licences under Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon.

And it was pretty clear where Ms Sturgeon herself stood. In 2021, when she was first minister, she said: "I don't think we can go on extracting oil and gas forever, and I don't think we can continue to give the go ahead to new oil fields.”