UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Scotland’s Energy Secretary Gillian Martin warns NE risks “no just transition,” urging action to secure green jobs and avoid repeat of past industrial decline.
As reported by The Independent, Gillian Martin warns North East could lose the chance for a just transition.
What did Gillian Martin say about North Sea jobs and Scotland’s future?
SNP’s Gillian Martin said she would be “damned” if North Sea workers faced job losses like those during the 1970s and 1980s deindustrialisation.
She stated that Scotland has a major opportunity to shift to renewables after decades of fossil fuel extraction.
The SNP minister warned that country’s future economy could reach record highs, but missing net zero targets would have serious consequences.
Speaking at the SNP conference in Aberdeen, she said,
“My father was in shipbuilding and John Brown’s in Clydebank and that’s the reason I’m an Aberdonian, is because that all fell apart basically. So one of the major industries in the central belt, one of many for which there wasn’t a just transition.”
Ms Martin said the north east was “potentially and dangerously in a situation where there could not be a just transition”, stating
“I’ll be damned if that happens, because basically the place that my mum and dad are from, in Clydebank, has never recovered and neither has many other places.”
She added that Scotland’s existing companies and workforce are ready to support the change.
Ms Martin warned that failing to capitalise on the green energy transition could push skilled workers abroad.
She added,
“I never want to see the communities that I represent and my north east colleagues represent being in the situation that Clydebank, Hamilton, Motherwell, etc, were within due to a lack of a just transition.”
What did Stephen Flynn say about Labour in Scotland?
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said Labour has revealed its plans for Scotland if elected.
At Aberdeen’s conference, the MP compared Labour north and south of the border amid UK Government unpopularity.
He said Labour had “power but no purpose”, stating,
“Through their actions, they have already shown Scotland what a Labour victory at the Holyrood election next year would look like.”
Mr Flynn stated,
“We have already all seen the movie and we don’t need a Labour Government in Scotland that will look every bit like the one that is failing us in Westminster. Our nation must set its sights so much higher than that.”
He said,
“No, we need a leader and a party who will always put Scotland’s interests first, and the people of Scotland know that John Swinney and the SNP will always do that.”
Mr Flynn stated,
“The impact of a powerful, passionate, trusted leader cannot be emphasised enough and what I’ve seen over the course of the last 18 months is a First Minister who lives up to the billing and then some.”
He also aimed the rhetoric at Westminster on immigration, asking,
“What has become of Westminster, where it spends more time trying to split up successful families than making sure those families across these isles can afford a home, can afford their heating, can afford their shopping and secure a good job?”
SNP Aberdeen conference 2025
The Scottish National Party’s Aberdeen conference 2025 began on October 11. It will run until October 13 at The Event Complex Aberdeen.
The conference attracts thousands of delegates from across Scotland and beyond. The goal is to prepare for the Holyrood election, stress winning an SNP majority, and focus on Scottish independence.
At the conference, First Minister John Swinney announced plans for an independence referendum if he wins a majority next year.
Which leader has more influence in Scotland?
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is more influential than Labour leader Keir Starmer among Scottish voters. Recent polls show Mr Starmer’s approval in Scotland is very low.
Only 16-22% view him favorably, with a net rating of -44 to -47. He is currently one of Scotland’s least popular political figures.
