Labour leadership contest becomes climate race to the bottom
The Scottish Labour leadership contest is becoming a race to the bottom on climate policy, the Scottish Greens have warned.
The party says Labour leadership candidates are putting oil and gas company profits ahead of Scotland's clean energy future.
Leadership candidate Joe Fagan has said he "will not stop lobbying the UK Government" until the climate-wrecking Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields are approved.
This week, frontrunner Michael Marra also declared on social media: "I support domestic oil and gas, including Rosebank and Jackdaw."
Monica Lennon has opposed the Rosebank development, but currently lacks enough nominations to reach the ballot and is reported to face opposition from senior figures within Scottish Labour.
Scottish Greens co-leader, Gillian Mackay MSP, said:
“The Scottish Labour leadership contest has become a race to the bottom on climate.
"Joe Fagan and Michael Marra know exactly how damaging a climate-wrecking project like Rosebank would be, yet they're still demanding it goes ahead.
"More drilling won't cut energy bills or deliver secure, long-term jobs. It will only lock Scotland into an industry that is fuelling the climate crisis while delaying the investment we need in renewables.
"We've had weeks of wildfires across our country, we can't let that become our new normal.
"The real challenge is creating thousands of well-paid green jobs and building a clean energy future. That won't happen by handing over even more of the North Sea to oil and gas giants.”
Gillian added:
"It's also deeply disappointing to see a capable woman being squeezed off the ballot when, on oil and gas and many other issues, she is offering a far more progressive alternative.
"There are plenty of issues where I disagree with Monica Lennon, but if she's prevented from standing it will say a great deal about where Scottish Labour now stands."