Scotland's Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has issued a direct plea to the UK Government following ExxonMobil's devastating announcement that it will close its Mossmorran ethylene plant in Fife, putting hundreds of jobs at risk.
Major Job Losses Loom for Scottish Community
The energy giant confirmed on Tuesday 18 November 2025 that its Fife Ethylene Plant will cease operations in February, directly endangering the positions of 179 workers employed at the Mossmorran facility. The closure also threatens approximately 250 contractors who work on the site, bringing the total number of jobs at risk to 429.
While ExxonMobil indicated that around 50 staff members might transfer to the Fawley Petrochemical Complex in Hampshire - nearly 500 miles away - this offers little consolation to the majority of workers facing unemployment in the new year.
Political Leaders Clash Over Responsibility
Speaking at Holyrood hours after the announcement, Ms Forbes expressed her "extreme disappointment" with ExxonMobil's decision and made an urgent appeal to Westminster ministers.
"I believe it is crucial that UK ministers consider what more they can do for the workers at the plant and take urgent action - overdue action - to address the high cost of energy which is slowly crippling industry," the Deputy First Minister stated.
Ms Forbes emphasised that the "levers for an industrial intervention" primarily rest with the UK Government, pointing to ExxonMobil's own statement blaming the "UK's current economic and policy environment" for making the site uncompetitive.
However, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander countered that the closure represented "ultimately a commercial decision" for the company, noting that the UK Government had "explored every reasonable avenue to support the site."
Industry and Union Backlash
ExxonMobil described its Fife facility as having been "a cornerstone of chemical production in the UK for 40 years," but said the closure reflected challenges operating in a policy environment that's "accelerating the exit of vital industries, domestic manufacturing, and the high-value jobs they provide."
The company explained they had "considered various options to continue production and tested the market for a potential buyer," but concluded that market conditions, high supply costs and plant efficiency made the site's future unviable.
Trade unions reacted with fury to the announcement. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called the decision "utterly disgraceful" and demanded ExxonMobil "withdraw the closure threat and enter into meaningful negotiations with all key players."
Unite's industrial officer Bob MacGregor described the news as "devastating for the workers at the plant and the local community," while GMB senior organiser Robert Deavy criticised politicians for "wringing their hands" instead of delivering a proper industrial strategy.
Scottish Government Response
Ms Forbes pledged that the Scottish Government would "explore all options" to support affected workers and their families. She committed to engaging constructively with Fife Council and other stakeholders to "consider all possible actions to mitigate any impact on the local economy."
The Deputy First Minister announced she would convene a taskforce to "urgently consider any actions the Scottish Government, with the limited economic powers we have, could take to mitigate the impact of this decision."
She also revealed that work to find an alternative future for the Grangemouth oil refinery site, which closed in April, would be expanded to include Mossmorran.
The Mossmorran closure represents another significant blow to Scotland's industrial landscape and raises serious questions about the UK's energy policy direction and its impact on domestic manufacturing capabilities.
