The Conservative Party has pledged to revitalise Aberdeen's oil and gas industry if they win the upcoming by-election. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, described the Labour Government's decision to ban new drilling in the North Sea as 'crazy' and urged local voters to support her party to give the sector a 'kiss of life'.
Neck-and-Neck Race in Aberdeen South
Badenoch visited the Aberdeen South constituency ahead of Thursday's ballot, where the race is reportedly tight between the Conservatives and the SNP. She criticised Labour's ban on new drilling licences, which the SNP also supports, calling for an immediate end to the policy.
'Labour's crazy ban on new drilling licences, which the SNP support, must end now,' Badenoch told the media. She described the oil and gas sector as the 'economic lifeblood' of the area, adding that residents have told her 'the city is on its knees because Labour and the SNP are killing the oil and gas industry'.
Proudly Pro-Drilling Stance
Badenoch emphasised that her party is 'proudly pro-drilling because it's crucial to the North-east economy and essential for the nation's energy security'. She argued that electing Conservative candidate Douglas Lumsden, who worked in the sector for two decades, would send a strong message to the SNP and Labour.
'If voters in Aberdeen South choose Douglas Lumsden as their MP on Thursday, it will send a deafening message that the SNP and Labour would ignore at their peril,' she said. 'By electing Douglas, voters could give the kiss of life to North Sea oil and gas and help revitalise Aberdeen.'
SNP Candidate Responds
However, SNP candidate Richard Thomson hit back, accusing the Tories of delivering the 'kiss of death' to thousands of jobs in Aberdeen. He stated that the Conservatives destroyed 70,000 oil and gas jobs and introduced the hated windfall tax, giving them zero credibility on the energy sector.
'People in Aberdeen South won't forget it was the Tories who gave the kiss of death to tens of thousands of jobs here while Douglas Lumsden was asking tens of thousands of AI-generated questions on tomato sauce sachets,' Thomson said. He argued that only the SNP can stand up for Aberdeen and the energy sector, and by putting Scotland's energy in Scotland's hands, they can end the windfall tax, take sensible licensing decisions, and protect oil and gas jobs.
