Moray MP Douglas Ross says Humza Yousaf has a “brass neck” to pretend he is standing up for the oil and gas industry and the workers employed in it, many of whom are based in his constituency.
Douglas’ call comes after the SNP leader and First Minister gave a speech in Aberdeen to attack the Labour Party’s hostility to the industry.
However, he says highly-skilled workers from his Moray constituency and across North East communities “won’t be fooled” by Humza Yousaf’s “shameless spin” and know that the SNP are prepared to abandon them too.
Douglas highlighted that the SNP were the first to call for a windfall tax on the industry and also have a policy of a presumption against any new oil and gas licences.
He says that the First Minister’s speech displayed “breathtaking hypocrisy” and that he is no friend of oil and gas workers based in Moray.
Douglas says that it is only his party – the Scottish Conservatives – who are standing up for the industry against “reckless” plans by the SNP and Labour and recognising the important role the industry has to play in achieving net zero targets.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “Humza Yousaf has some brass neck making this speech. He is no friend of the oil and gas workers from Moray and across the North East.
“He is trying to rewrite history with some shameless spin. The highly-skilled workers here based in the industry won’t be fooled by the SNP leader and First Minister.
“They will remember that it was the SNP that first backed plans for a windfall tax and they will know that the SNP still have a presumption against any new licences for the industry.
“Humza Yousaf’s speech only exposed his breathtaking hypocrisy. It is only a matter of months since he flew to New York and boasted about Scotland no longer being the oil and gas capital of the world.
“Both the SNP and Labour’s plans would be reckless for our industry. They are risking tens of thousands of jobs – including many based here in Moray – and would make us more reliant on costly imports.
“It is only the Scottish Conservatives who are standing up for this crucial industry, recognising the important role it has in Scotland’s economy and how it will play a key role in achieving ambitious net zero targets in the years to come.”