Michael Marra, a candidate for the Scottish Labour leadership, has stated that "workers must come first" in decisions about Scotland's energy future. He voiced support for a new generation of nuclear power plants north of the Border, arguing that "for too long ideology has come before workers, whether it's windfarms or oil fields."
Nuclear and Oil: A New Approach
The SNP Government has historically blocked new nuclear developments due to its control over planning laws. Critics contend this has deprived Scotland of investment while thousands of jobs are created in the nuclear sector in England and Wales. Torness, Scotland's last operating nuclear facility, is scheduled to begin decommissioning in 2030.
Marra has urged the SNP to bring forward its delayed oil and gas strategy and offered to collaborate on oil and gas in good faith. He is also calling on the UK Government to approve the proposed Rosebank and Jackdaw developments.
Marra's Vision for Energy
Speaking to the Record, Marra said: "The energy industry should be the sector that powers Scotland's economic growth for decades to come. But for too long ideology has come before Scottish workers, whether it's windfarms or oil fields the test should be does this create and sustain Scottish jobs."
He added: "That is the key issue which unites Scotland's energy mix. We can and must do better than oil and gas workers losing their jobs, wind farms built abroad and a looming industrial crisis in our nuclear industry. Scottish jobs and Scottish workers must come first: that's my test with Andy Burnham and my test with John Swinney."
Marra emphasized: "Scotland is primed to win the race towards clean power and the wealth and opportunity that comes with it. We must back renewables, we must back our oil and gas workers and we must look at a new generation of nuclear."
He concluded: "The SNP have long opposed new nuclear, but we are sleepwalking into an industrial crisis unless we make further progress on it now. Scottish jobs must come first. That is what Scottish Labour must argue for and will argue for it if I am leader."
