The UK Government is facing accusations of sleepwalking into the deindustrialisation of Scotland following the confirmed closure of ExxonMobil's Fife Ethylene Plant.
Political Clash Over Plant Closure
SNP Commons leader Stephen Flynn delivered a stark warning in Parliament, criticising ministers for their decision not to intervene as the Mossmorran facility winds down operations. The confrontation occurred during an urgent question session where Flynn challenged Energy and Business Minister Chris McDonald directly.
ExxonMobil announced that its ethylene manufacturing plant, which produces base materials for plastics, is expected to cease operations in February 2025 after failing to find a buyer. The company stated it had considered various options to continue production but found the UK's economic and policy environment made the site uncompetitive.
Contrasting Government Approaches
The debate highlighted what opposition MPs called an inconsistent approach to industrial intervention. Flynn pointed to the Government's decision to take over the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe earlier this year, while allowing similar facilities in Scotland to close.
Minister McDonald revealed that ExxonMobil UK chairman Paul Greenwood had told him the plant was inefficient and would require nearly £1 billion in investment to become profitable. McDonald stated the Government only intervenes where there's a fundamentally sound business proposition, which he claimed was absent in this case.
Workforce and Community Impact
The closure affects approximately 400 families who now face uncertainty about their livelihoods. Labour MP Brian Leishman described the situation as an all too familiar story of private capital closing industry and leaving workers as disposable commodities.
Conservative shadow Scottish secretary Andrew Bowie blamed what he called the Government's war on the North Sea and high energy costs for killing industry. He declared that Scotland cannot afford this Labour Government and accused them of wilful de-industrialisation.
ExxonMobil's final statement emphasised that the closure reflects challenges posed by a policy environment that's accelerating the exit of vital industries and domestic manufacturing, along with the high-value jobs they provide.
