Football might be considered the beautiful game, but after creating rare political unity at Holyrood, some might call it miraculous. Scottish politicians across party lines found common ground celebrating Scotland's World Cup qualification, though the festive mood quickly gave way to harsh economic realities facing workers at the Mossmorran plant.
From World Cup Dreams to Economic Nightmares
Party leaders temporarily set aside differences to express pride in Steve Clarke's national team, with politicians sharing personal memories of Scotland's last World Cup appearance in 1998. Russell Findlay recalled being '25 years old and spending three glorious weeks at France 98,' while Anas Sarwar remembered 'rushing home from school to watch the Scotland v. Brazil game.'
The younger Ross Greer admitted with humour that he didn't remember the 1998 tournament, prompting nostalgic reflections on an era dominated by Spice Girls music and Noel Edmonds television shows. Yet this political harmony proved short-lived as discussions swiftly turned to the impending job losses at Mossmorran's Fife facility.
Net Zero Policies Face Workforce Backlash
The Mossmorran plant closure sparked heated exchanges during First Minister's Questions, with Findlay and Greer taking turns criticising First Minister John Swinney over the employment crisis. Swinney pledged his government would 'do everything it can to support workers' affected by the shutdown.
However, critics argue that everything excludes abandoning Net Zero fundamentalism that many believe is directly responsible for putting Scottish energy workers on the dole queue. The political landscape reveals contradictions, with all major parties having promoted Net Zero policies for the past decade while dismissing warnings about mass redundancies in the oil and gas sector.
The energy profit levy became a particular point of contention, with Findlay criticising its job-killing costs while Swinney noted the policy originated with the Conservative government. Findlay branded energy redundancies a 'national emergency' and accused Swinney of 'offering a sticking plaster for a shotgun wound.'
Political Theatre Overshadows Practical Solutions
The debate revealed deeper political divisions, with Findlay promising Swinney the necessary votes to reverse the government's presumption against oil and gas exploration - a proposal that was ultimately ignored. Meanwhile, Anas Sarwar embarked on what critics described as another 'statistics safari,' presenting numerous figures without achieving significant political impact.
The Labour leader also renewed his criticism of Swinney for deleting messages during the COVID-19 pandemic, to which the First Minister responded that 'we had no guidebook on what we were dealing with' when the crisis hit.
The session included moments of political theatre, including SNP backbencher Kevin Stewart's artful toadying questions and Tory Miles Briggs' withering remark 'Back in Scotland...' that highlighted the ongoing tensions between Scottish and English political priorities.
As Scotland celebrates its footballing success, the Mossmorran situation underscores the challenging balance between environmental ambitions and economic realities, with workers caught in the crossfire of political ideologies and energy transition policies.
