Labour didn't create North Sea energy jobs crisis but we're spending hundreds of millions of pounds to fix it

Securing a fair energy transition is a political and moral imperative. We now stand at a pivotal moment. The transition to renewable energy must avoid the economic devastation wrought by deindustrialisation, which continues to scar many corners of our nation.

In Falkirk, the former mining villages of the Braes remain fiercely proud of their industrial heritage. The recent ceremony to grant the Sir William Wallace Grand Lodge Free Colliers of Falkirk the freedom of the town speaks volumes.

READ MORE: Why floating offshore wind can put Scotland at heart of world-leading industrial renaissance

Scars left by lost industry

How the Free Colliers came together to defend their rights and those of their communities, and now the ‘Pinkie March’ that takes place every first Saturday of August, show a legacy of working-class solidarity that should guide us through the challenges we face today.

But the scars left by lost industry run deep across my area: fuel poverty, declining services, and acute long-term unemployment have plagued my constituency for too long. Comparisons with the announcement in 2023 that Petroineos was moving to close the Grangemouth oil refinery, and the non-existent action from the UK Tory government or Scottish Government prior to last year’s election are neither exaggerated nor isolated.

READ MORE: Scotland is seeing the start of re-industrialisation on a scale not witnessed since the oil boom of the 1970s

Alongside the mounting uncertainty for North Sea oil and gas workers, these are symptoms of a wider failure – decades of delay, poor planning, and governments in Edinburgh and Westminster too often unwilling or unable to steer a course through change. Between 2013 and 2023, employment supported by the UK’s oil and gas sector halved. This was not unforeseeable in a declining basin. And, as ever, it is the workers – not the shareholders – who have borne the brunt.

There are, however, signs of a long-overdue shift. The UK Labour government has recognised the urgency of the energy transition. A £200 million commitment from the National Wealth Fund to Grangemouth and a training guarantee secured by trade unions for its skilled workforce marked a first step. So too do efforts to progress the Energy Skills Passport – a crucial bridge for oil and gas workers looking to move into renewables.

Tens of thousands of jobs

There is also a new determination for UK workers to benefit from the huge expansion of offshore wind. Scotland’s wind resources are unmatched, with more than 50 wind farms already generating electricity for the National Grid.

The UK now accounts for more than a fifth of global offshore wind capacity. That’s not just a statistic – it is a foundation. With plans to increase capacity six-fold over the next 15 years, the potential returns are vast: tens of thousands of jobs and billions in investment, despite several political leaders on the right now declaring a war against clean energy jobs.

Until now though, too many high-value roles in offshore wind, especially in manufacturing, have been created overseas, with the typical North Sea turbine currently containing more than three times as much material manufactured overseas as components made here in the UK.

I’ve made on-shoring our manufacturing a key priority of my time in office, especially with 400 jobs and countless others in my constituency hanging in the balance in the bus manufacturing sector due to green subsidies flowing too generously abroad.

Full-throttle commitment

A £300 million commitment to support offshore wind supply chains in the UK will go some way to rectifying this. As will the expanded Clean Industry Bonus, with more than £500 million now allocated to reward offshore wind developers that target their investment in areas of the UK that need these jobs the most.

Welcome developments to be sure, but we are in circumstances that require a full-throttle commitment: we need a coherent, credible plan to deliver new industries, build robust domestic supply chains, create good jobs at scale, and transform industrial heartlands into hubs for green manufacturing – and fast.

A fair transition for Scotland’s energy workers is still possible, we must not give up on that. At its core must be a clear, comprehensive plan to create well-paid jobs in our towns and communities that are facing decline – a plan that prioritises Scotland’s workers, supply chains, and communities.

It must guarantee the replacement of jobs lost through the decline of oil and gas with quality employment in renewables. We also need robust, accessible support packages for workers and suppliers moving into the renewable economy.

Cooperation not squabbling

Falkirk’s future is directly tied to what happens next at Grangemouth. My constituents are watching closely – it is an unavoidable truth that my constituents will deliver their verdict at the ballot box.

The current crisis was not of this government’s making. But it is now ours to resolve. Many established clean energy technologies face critical skills shortages. We must develop clear pathways for workers to take up new roles, ensure training is free and accessible, and avoid placing costs on workers already navigating upheaval.

It is encouraging to see a more constructive working relationship between Westminster and Holyrood. The political squabbling of the past – preoccupied with identity and process on the future for our energy sector – must give way to practical cooperation.

But collaboration cannot end with a political photo call. The voices of workers, unions, and communities must not just be heard, they must lead.

Euan Stainbank is the Scottish Labour MP for Falkirk