The Conservative Party will today use its opposition debate at Westminster to renew calls for the Labour Government to scrap the Energy Profits Levy and end what it describes as an “insane” ban on new North Sea oil and gas licences.
The motion – tabled by party leader Kemi Badenoch alongside energy spokeswoman Claire Coutinho and Scottish MP Andrew Bowie – urges ministers to “introduce a plan for cheap power” by removing the Carbon Tax from electricity generation and ending Renewable Obligation subsidies.
The Conservatives claim the move would cut household energy bills by around 20%, boost investment, and protect tens of thousands of Scottish jobs.
It follows warnings that industry hostility is contributing to an estimated 400 job losses every fortnight in Scotland’s energy sector.
Mr Bowie, the party’s shadow energy minister and shadow secretary of state for Scotland, said: “Scotland's oil and gas sector stands on a precipice, and the Labour and SNP governments seem intent on pushing it over.
"Their war on North Sea oil and gas has to stop now, or tens of thousands of Scottish jobs will be destroyed, and the nation's energy security will be at risk.”
He added: “Rachel Reeves must listen to industry voices and drop the Energy Profits Levy and the Carbon Tax on electricity generation in her budget to cut bills. Keir Starmer needs to show some backbone by putting Ed Miliband back in his box and ending Labour's insane ban on new oil and gas developments.”
The Conservative motion argues that the UK’s high energy prices are “holding back economic growth” and that ending the ban on new oil and gas licences would “maximise investment in the sector”.
Labour has tabled an amendment to the motion, defending its creation of Great British Energy and highlighting plans to “take back control of the UK’s energy system” while investing in nuclear, hydrogen, carbon capture and renewables.
The amendment also “welcomes” the extension of the Warm Homes Discount, providing £150 off bills for 2.7 million additional families this winter, and outlines the Government’s ambition to deliver “tens of thousands of jobs” through its clean power mission.
The SNP has also tabled an amendment which argues that “successive UK Government failings” have left Scotland with some of the highest energy prices in Europe, and calls for powers over energy policy to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
A vote on the motion is expected later this morning.