Swinney to push for powers over energy if SNP wins election

First Minister John Swinney will push the UK Government for Holyrood control over energy policy if his party wins May’s election, he has said.

Speaking ahead of a visit to the north-east of Scotland, Swinney said an SNP-run government – which would be returned to power after a fifth straight election victory – would draft a Section 30 order that would give the Scottish Parliament powers over energy on the first day after his re-election as First Minister.

Section 30 of the Scotland Act allows the UK Government to devolve powers to Holyrood and was used to allow the Scottish Parliament to legislate for the independence referendum in 2014.

Given the value of Scotland’s energy – particularly the oil and gas in the North Sea – the UK Government is extremely unlikely to grant such a move, which the First Minister said would confirm that Scottish independence is the only way to bring down household bills.

If the SNP were to make the request on the first day of the new parliamentary term, it would do so without a finalised energy strategy being produced by the Government.

The document was published in draft form under Nicola Sturgeon – including a presumption against new oil and gas – but never finalised, with a spokesman for the First Minister last week blaming the volatility in the global sector and the party’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, saying confusion caused by the UK Government made it difficult to produce a plan.

Speaking ahead of the visit, the First Minister said: “Scotland is one of the most energy-rich countries in the world – but we pay some of the highest bills in Europe.

“That is because for decades, Scotland’s energy wealth has flowed south to the Treasury rather than working for the people of Scotland.

“UK Government control over our energy resources is seeing bills soar, jobs destroyed, and key energy investment projects denied.

“Westminster control is not working for energy security, it is not working for jobs, and it is not working for people’s bills. By every measure, Westminster has failed.”

The First Minister has said a majority for his party in May would secure a mandate for a second referendum on independence, but added: “The process of a referendum will take time, so I want to begin the journey to independence on day one of the new term with the immediate transfer of powers over our energy.

“Because Westminster’s abject failures are really hurting people now, costing jobs and seeing bills soar. So I want to be able to take action now.

“If Westminster will not act to bring down bills, they should get out of the way for a government that will. It’s Scotland’s energy – and it should be in Scotland’s hands.

“And if the UK Government refuse, it will only confirm that if we want to make Scotland’s energy wealth work for Scotland and bring down bills, that is only available through the fresh start of independence that I am offering at this election.”

Scottish Tory energy spokesman Douglas Lumsden said the First Minister’s pledge was “designed to mask two decades of failure”.

“He’s part of the reason why Scots’ energy bills are rising right now. He shamefully turned his back on our oil and gas industry by blocking new projects such as Rosebank and Jackdaw in the North Sea,” he said.

“And he continues to have a reckless and ideological ban on new nuclear power too.

“His rush for mega-pylons threatens to decimate the landscape of rural Scotland and the nationalists continue to ride roughshod over local opposition.

“Instead of whipping up more nationalist grievance, John Swinney should ditch his failing energy policy and support plans that protect jobs and grow Scotland’s economy.”

While Scottish Labour finance spokesman Michael Marra said the First Minister “has no energy – let alone a serious plan for Scotland’s”.

“The SNP has squandered Scotland’s clean energy potential for years – ditching its plans for a publicly-owned energy company, selling off Scotland’s seabeds on the cheap and breaking its green jobs pledge,” he added.

“They can’t build a ferry, they can’t run our NHS and they can’t be trusted to keep their promises.

“John Swinney is not remotely serious about this half-baked plan – he just wants to avoid talking about this own record which has left Scots paying more and getting less.”

UK Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will also campaign in the north-east on Monday, alongside her party’s leader in Scotland Russell Findlay, following the launch of the party’s “get Britain drilling” campaign, which calls for the end to the UK Government’s ban on new oil and gas licences and an end to the windfall tax.

The party is also calling for VAT on energy bills to be scrapped, along with the levies imposed on electricity generation and subsidies for wind developments, with the aim of cutting bills by £200.

“I know families and business owners across Britain will be very worried about how the global energy crisis will impact them,” she said.

“That’s why I find it appalling that Labour’s solution is to tax working people to fund a bailout for those on benefits.

“By drilling in the North Sea and scrapping Ed Miliband’s crazy green taxes, our cheap power plan would reduce bills by £200 for everyone.”

Responding to the Tory leader’s plans, SNP candidate for Aberdeen Central Jack Middleton said Scotland’s energy “should be in Scotland’s hands”.

“The Tories, Labour and Farage all treat Scotland’s energy wealth as a cash cow with Scottish bill payers and Scottish workers paying the price – let’s not forget it was the Tories that inflicted Westminster’s supertax on Scotland’s energy that costs 1,000 jobs a month in the sector,” he added.

“They have zero credibility on this issue.”