Snp mps demand answers over uk government abandoning its pledge for north east jobs — scottish national party

Last year, the UK government pledged that 200 civil servant jobs for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero were to be relocated to Aberdeen. Now the Tories are u-turning on this

promise and cutting the planned relocation, instead now only promising to relocate 35 civil servant jobs to Aberdeen. Tory Minister Andrew Bowie, Conservative MP for Aberdeenshire and

Kincardine, at the time hailed the announcement. But is now refusing to stand up for people in the North East as Westminster turns its back. > We have another HQ! 🥳@energygovuk‘s second 

Headquarters in > Aberdeen will put the UK Government on the doorstep of key players > in the energy sector, in a region vital for our energy security and > transition to net zero. 

🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/YpLHxqSMqJ >  > — Andrew Bowie MP (@AndrewBowie_MP) December 11, 2023 SNP MP’S CHALLENGE UK GOVERNMENT FOR NORTH EAST LET DOWN AND NEGLECT The assurance of numerous

job opportunities ignited genuine optimism within Aberdeen, fostering hope for the city’s economic growth. While the Tories clearly cannot be trusted to deliver for Scotland, your SNP MPs

are working hard to challenge the UK government over this disappointing decision. Your SNP MPs are asking the UK government to explain why the decision to relocate only 35 civil servant jobs

to Aberdeen, rather than the 200 jobs reported last year, has happened,  expressing the ‘disappointment and anger’ felt right across the North East of Scotland. IN THEIR LETTER, STEPHEN

FLYNN, ABERDEEN SOUTH MP, SNP WESTMINSTER LEADER, KIRSTY BLACKMAN, ABERDEEN NORTH MP, RICHARD THOMSON, GORDON MP AND DAVE DOOGAN, ANGUS AND PERTHSHIRE GLENS MP SAID: > Dear Secretary of 

State & Ministers, >  > We write to convey the disappointment and anger being felt across > North East Scotland at the decision to relocate only 35 DESNZ civil > service jobs

 to Aberdeen, rather than the ‘hundreds’ that your > government took great care to brief would be the case. >  > Last December, the Minister for the Cabinet Office was quoted > 

stating “we are now going to have this second headquarters where > hundreds more will come to work and live in the city”, while the > Secretary of State for Scotland claimed that the 

scale of the move > demonstrated the Government’s commitment to “the north east of > Scotland and to our oil and gas and renewables sectors”. It is > clear that neither of these 

statements now passes scrutiny. >  > Taken alongside the shortfall in ‘Levelling Up’ awards; the > glacial progress since 2014 in delivering the ‘Acorn’ project > and the savage 

cuts made by HM Treasury to the Scottish > Government’s capital budget, this is simply the latest in a long > line of UK Government betrayals of the North East of Scotland. It > 

provides further evidence – as if any were needed – of the chasm > between what your party in government says it will do for the North > East of Scotland and its key industries, and 

what little it delivers > in reality. >  > It is clear that the vast difference between the number of DESNZ > jobs that the UK Government indicated would be relocated to Aberdeen

> relative to the number of jobs now being delivered can only be > explained by bad faith; incompetence; a change in policy; or some > combination of the three. We look forward to 

receiving your > explanation as to why your Government is failing to deliver on the > expectations that it took such care to stoke at the time. >  > We have also consulted with 

our colleagues standing in the > constituencies of West Aberdeeenshire & Kincardine, Aberdeenshire > North & Moray East and Moray West, Nairn & Strathspey, who are all >

 in agreement with the sentiments expressed. > ❌ Once again the workers of the North East are being asked to pay > the price because of Westminster’s economic and energy > 

mismanagement. >  > 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 A vote for the SNP, is a vote to > control our energy future. Rather than leave it in the hands of > reckless Tory or Labour UK governments. 

pic.twitter.com/Zlce3YAZ0S >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) February 19, 2024 WESTMINSTER IS INEFFECTIVE FOR SCOTLAND’S JOBS AND ENERGY SECTOR Amid the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19

pandemic, numerous city centers and businesses faced adversity, magnifying the significance of the promised job influx for Aberdeen’s economic growth. The hundreds of promised jobs are of

course welcomed by the SNP and many local officials and businesses in Aberdeen, underscoring Aberdeen’s renowned status as the oil and gas capital of Europe, coupled with its substantial

green-energy prospects, adding credence to its potential for economic revitalisation. While it is utterly cruel for the retraction of this promise of hope from the North East of Scotland, it

is not the first time the UK government has made their priorities elsewhere and disregarded the people of Scotland. Both the Tories and the Labour Party have proven ineffectual in standing

up for Scotland’s energy sector. For instance, Keir Starmer’s plans to increase the windfall levy on energy tax from 75% to 78% reflects a lack of care and sincereity for Scotland’s energy

and business dynamics. Despite Scotland’s wealth in both oil, gas, and green energy, under decades of Tory rule, we are burdened with some of the highest energy bills in Europe. Scotland

deserves decisions made for its people, right here in Scotland, not in the hands of Westminster, where their priorities do not align with the best interests of Scotland. > ⚡️ Scotland is 

energy rich and doesn’t need to be paying some > of the highest energy bills in Europe. >  > 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Only with independence can Scotland > drive forward the investment needed for

 a Just Transition to Net > Zero, support our oil and gas industry and capitalise on green > energy. pic.twitter.com/HAidO6tVqP >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) February 19, 2024