Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said a Scottish Conservative victory in the Aberdeen South by-election could give the oil and gas industry “the kiss of life”.
Badenoch’s Campaign Visit
Mrs Badenoch is visiting the constituency on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s by-election. She has been vocal about her party’s pro-drilling stance in the North Sea and argued that voting for the Tories would “revitalise” the industry.
She said: “Every time I visit Aberdeen, people tell me that the city is on its knees because Labour and the SNP are killing the oil and gas industry that is its economic lifeblood.
“Labour’s crazy ban on new drilling licences, which the SNP support, must end now. The same goes for the windfall tax.
“The Conservative Party are proudly pro-drilling because it’s crucial to the north-east economy and essential for the nation’s energy security.
“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.
“By electing Douglas, who worked in the sector for two decades, voters could give the kiss of life to North Sea oil and gas and help revitalise Aberdeen.”
Russell Findlay’s Support
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay is set to join Mrs Badenoch on her campaign visit. He described the election as being on a “knife edge” between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP.
Mr Findlay said: “Thursday’s by-election is a referendum on the future of North Sea oil and gas.
“Kemi is a champion for oil and gas workers and the people of Aberdeen South have the chance to elect Douglas Lumsden – another great champion – as their MP.
“This election is on a knife edge between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP so it’s essential for pro-UK voters to unite behind Douglas.
“If they split the vote by backing any other party, they’ll end up with an SNP MP who won’t stand up for oil and gas jobs.”
SNP Response
However, the SNP candidate for Aberdeen South, Richard Thomson, accused the Tories of giving the “kiss of death” to thousands of jobs in Aberdeen.
He said: “The Tories destroyed 70,000 oil and gas jobs and introduced the hated windfall tax – they have zero credibility on our 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.
“Only the SNP can and will stand up for Aberdeen and our energy sector and by putting Scotland’s energy in Scotland’s hands we can end the windfall tax, take sensible licensing decisions and protect oil and gas jobs in the here and now.”
The UK Government has been approached for comment.
