Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said it is “absolutely essential” a decision is made on the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields as soon as possible.
Consultations for both developments have closed in recent weeks, with ministers now set to make a decision on their future in what is seen as a key environmental test for Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
While 3,500 construction jobs could be created, and 880 for the life of the fields, environmental activists have raised concerns about the climate impact.
Government's 'heart's not really in it'
Speaking during a visit to a farm in East Lothian on Friday, Mrs Badenoch said the Government’s “heart’s not really in it”.
When asked if the decision should be made as soon as possible, she said: “It’s absolutely essential.
“If this decision had been made earlier in the summer, we could have had gas from Jackdaw in people’s homes by this winter, by Christmas.
“All of the gas that’s drilled in the North Sea is used in this country and Labour has been kicking this decision into the long grass because their heart’s not really in it.
“They don’t know how to actually make energy cheaper, they don’t know how to get genuine tax revenue, and all they’re doing is increasing taxes, destroying businesses.
“A common sense approach is to make sure that we drill our own oil and gas in the North Sea, get the tax revenue from that instead of importing oil and gas from countries that drill it in a very dirty way, which is actually increasing carbon emissions.”
GB Energy workforce criticism
Mrs Badenoch also hit out at GB Energy during her visit, following reports only a third of the publicly-owned firm’s workforce live in Scotland.
Ahead of the landslide win in 2024, Labour suggested around 1,000 people could be employed by GB Energy, which is headquartered in Aberdeen, but 46 of the 132 current employees live elsewhere in the UK, according to the Times.
“It’s another gimmick which Labour brought about,” the Tory leader said.
“They think that if you just put a sign on a building, that creates jobs. It’s not Government that creates jobs, it is business that creates jobs.
“Government needs to create the conditions, business is the one that creates the jobs and the growth.
“I’m not surprised that the gimmick which they used to try and get votes in Scotland has already failed, it just shows that they don’t have a plan.
“They can’t think ahead and, quite frankly, I don’t think they know what they’re doing.”
Five-point economic plan
Mrs Badenoch said her party has a “five-point economic plan that’s going to be great for Scotland”.
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
