A Just Transition for Grangemouth

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We know what happens when industry leaves Grangemouth. All of Scotland will suffer.

A “just transition” to greener industries simply cannot mean job losses.

It is fundamentally wrong that over 400 jobs are to be lost at the Grangemouth oil refinery.

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It is clear to me the impact would be devastating locally and would reverberate far beyond Grangemouth.

Brian Leishman MP addresses the Keep Grangemouth Working rally in August. Pic: Michael GillenBrian Leishman MP addresses the Keep Grangemouth Working rally in August. Pic: Michael Gillen
Brian Leishman MP addresses the Keep Grangemouth Working rally in August. Pic: Michael Gillen

Just hours after the announcement was made by owners Petroineos, I spoke on the issue at Westminster. Workers and Unite the Union are rightly calling for the lifetime of the refinery to be extended along with investment to safeguard the plant and highly-skilled jobs.

I echo those words and I will continue to stand in solidarity with the workers. Grangemouth is Scotland's only oil refinery and how it transitions into future, greener industries, could set a precedent for other sites in the UK.

Therefore, how both governments handle that transition is even more crucial. Make no mistake, this will be the key test.

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For more than a century, the refinery has been a cornerstone of Scottish economy and energy infrastructure. It has provided apprenticeships to local people with a chance to gain world-class qualifications and an opportunity to forge a career.

While it will still have a place in our energy mix for some years yet, oil will not last forever and the workers know that.

They want to be a part of the new green industrial revolution, they want to be involved in the creation of low-carbon opportunities.

Britain should lead the world by becoming a clean energy superpower and I believe Grangemouth has a significant role to play in achieving net zero emissions.

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The skills and know-how are already in place. However, the workers cannot be expected to sit and wait until greener jobs come around.

Families have bills and mortgages to pay and mouths to feed. Should the refinery close next year, as shareholders and foreign interests would have it, the talent will move on.

Energy is one of the pillars of our national security. With that in mind, we cannot allow private and foreign interests to have such high levels of influence on our critical infrastructure and our future.

Communities, workers, people and our country must be placed before corporate profit.

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The future of Grangemouth is as vital as its past and I am calling on both the UK and Scottish governments to conduct a thorough assessment and recognise the need for nationalisation of the site.

This would allow the safeguarding of jobs while protecting energy security and ensuring a truly just transition to low-carbon alternatives.

With the site part of the Forth Green Freeport, there are opportunities but we must act now to avert a loss of employment and industrial capacity.

Grangemouth could become truly world-leading and transformative. Sustainable aviation fuel, low carbon hydrogen and clean “e-fuels” are just some of the emerging alternatives that could play a key role in the site's future.

I have launched a petition to bring the refinery into public ownership, visit here https://chng.it/ZxhWbbsRQ8to add your voice to the campaign.

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