Scottish Deputy First Minister Denies Political Conflict Over Plant Closure
Scotland's Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has firmly rejected suggestions of a political spat with the UK Government regarding the impending closure of ExxonMobil's Mossmorran plant in Fife. The energy giant's decision puts 429 jobs at risk, comprising 179 directly employed staff and 250 contractors.
Speaking during a visit to the ethylene plant on Tuesday 25 November 2025, Ms Forbes told PA Media that reports of conflict between the Scottish and UK governments "do a dis-service to the workers" facing unemployment. "I have absolutely no interest in any spat," she emphasised, stating her primary objective was to secure alternative employment for affected workers.
Confusion Over Dual Government Approaches
The controversy emerged after both governments organised separate meetings to address the employment crisis. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander had invited Ms Forbes to a Fife Council-led roundtable on Monday, which she didn't attend, describing it as Labour's "preferred route." Instead, Scottish Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee represented the Scottish Government at that gathering.
Ms Forbes defended her decision to host a separate meeting on Tuesday, explaining it had been arranged the previous week following discussions with trade unions. "Last week, I engaged with the unions and we engaged very quickly with Scottish Enterprise to look at how we could retain employment at the site," she stated.
The Deputy First Minister expressed satisfaction with the cross-party representation at her meeting, which included company management, local council representatives, workers, and trade unions.
UK Government's Response and Alternative Opportunities
Following Monday's meeting, Mr Alexander stressed that affected workers "deserve unity rather than political squabbles between governments." He revealed several positive developments, including confirmation that he had asked the UK Government's Office for Investment to help broker any potential buyer for the Mossmorran facility.
In a significant development, the Scottish Secretary announced that nearby defence firm Babcock had expressed willingness to consider employing some of the skilled workers affected by the plant's closure. This potential lifeline could provide crucial employment opportunities for some of the 429 workers facing redundancy.
The Fife ethylene plant, which produces base materials for plastics manufacturing, is scheduled to cease operations in February 2026. ExxonMobil has indicated that approximately 50 staff might have the option to transfer to the Fawley petrochemical complex in Hampshire, nearly 500 miles away.
Both governments have now committed to working collaboratively going forward, with Ms Forbes stating: "Our primary interest is the workforce... Going forward, the objective is to work together and ultimately to see if there's a way of safeguarding the jobs here."
