Motorists across Scotland are facing higher costs as diesel prices have risen past £2 a litre. In parts of the Highlands, prices have reached £2.06, having already broken the £2 barrier weeks ago.
Global factors and local impact
Many are questioning how this is happening in a country with millions of barrels of oil beneath its seas and that once boasted an oil refinery producing diesel by the tanker load. At its peak, the Grangemouth facility on the Forth produced approximately 500,000 gallons of diesel per day, enough to supply much of the country’s needs with some left to spare.
Now, with Russia strangling oil supplies and the Iran conflict reducing oil flowing from the Middle East to a trickle, prices are soaring. While global factors are clearly driving the price rise, Labour needs to start thinking of ways to bring fuel costs down for consumers.
Businesses and revenue concerns
For hauliers, delivery drivers, bus operators and other businesses, diesel is a necessity, not a luxury. These rising costs will put some firms out of business – and the jobs they provide will be wiped out. The tax on fuel at the pump needs to be reduced, while the billions made in profit by the oil giants is where government should be looking for revenue.
Scotland’s untapped oil fields also need to be brought into use, while recognising that the long-term future should rely far more on renewable sources like wind and wave power. The country is surrounded by rich oil fields, yet forced to rely on foreign refining capacity to keep its own transport network running.
Political priorities questioned
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander is absolutely right to give the SNP government a dressing down for its priorities. Yesterday he insisted tackling the nation’s drug death scandal should be at the top of the SNP’s to-do list, rather than grandstanding on independence.
While Alexander is clearly making a party political point, he might also be doing the SNP a favour by trying to get them focused on improving lives – rather than the constitution. All over the country people feel like public services are in decay. Whether it is support for drug addiction, NHS waiting times or class sizes in schools, not enough progress is being made.
If First Minister John Swinney wants to convince people he can improve Scotland through independence, sorting out crumbling public services within the existing powers of Holyrood would be a decent start.
