![\"BP's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0_BP-Aberdeen-HQ.jpg\")
<\/p>\n“Workers don\u2019t want thoughts or warm words from the Prime Minister, we need decisive action to safeguard jobs, energy security and confidence in the North Sea.”<\/p>\n
11:08, 31 Jul 2026Updated 14:50, 31 Jul 2026<\/p>\n
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BP’s North Sea Headquarters is currently based in Aberdeen(Image: Andrew Milligan\/PA Archive\/PA Images)<\/p>\n
The SNP has called for \u201cdecisive action\u201d from the Prime Minister<\/a> after oil giant BP<\/a> announced it was selling its North Sea<\/a> operations.<\/p>\n The firm announced on Friday its operations in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) would be \u201cbetter positioned as part of another company\u201d.<\/p>\n But it comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham<\/a> signalled in the first few weeks of his premiership that he could be softer than Sir Keir Starmer on oil and gas<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reacting to the news, SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan said: \u201cWorkers don\u2019t want thoughts or warm words from the Prime Minister, we need decisive action to safeguard jobs, energy security and confidence in the North Sea.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we have here is an historic business that has employed thousands of Scottish workers and a major part of the Scottish economy opting to leave the North Sea. The destruction of one of Scotland\u2019s foremost industries is happening right before our very eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no moral high ground to be found in ruining oil and gas jobs in Scotland to sponsor those very same jobs half way around the world at a higher carbon cost, with our energy security put at risk and renewables investment lost.<\/p>\n \u201cThe policy enforced from Westminster is costing Scottish jobs, is costing our economy and is costing the climate. There is a reason why trade unions, experts and the industry, both in renewables and in the existing oil and gas sector, speak with one voice on this.<\/p>\n \u201cWestminster must finally listen \u2013 end the supertax on Scotland\u2019s energy and drive investment in the North Sea.\u201d<\/p>\n Commenting on today’s announcement from BP that it is putting its North Sea business up for sale, Energy Minister Stephen Gethins said: “BP has a long and significant history in the North Sea, making a substantial contribution to the economy over 60 years of production.<\/p>\n The SNP have called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to take “decisive action”(Image: Toby Melville\/PA Wire)<\/p>\n “The commercial decision announced today of a sale of its assets will cause uncertainty for workers. The Scottish Government is ready to engage with BP and other partners to understand the impacts of the sale process and to support the workforce.<\/p>\n “Scotland\u2019s future prosperity \u2013 and our contribution to energy security \u2013 are reliant on North Sea energy production and, crucially, the skills and experience of that workforce, not least in the North East.<\/p>\n “We need to see a parallel track approach to the energy transition, in which North Sea oil and gas production is managed alongside the increasing deployment of renewables. What is happening at the moment is that reserved policies such as the Energy Profits Levy are driving an accelerated decline of North Sea oil and gas before renewables are fully ready to meet our energy needs.<\/p>\n “We are committed to doing everything within our limited powers to ensure the future success of the offshore energy industry, working with local communities, businesses and the UK Government. The UK Government needs to take urgent action to protects jobs, energy security and investment in our energy sector.”<\/p>\n Shadow Scottish Secretary Andrew Bowie blamed the decision on \u201cLabour\u2019s disastrous net-zero dogma\u201d as he urged the Government to change course.<\/p>\n \u201cAndy Burnham should break with the past and do what the Conservatives have called for and immediately approve the Jackdaw and Rosebank sites and cancel their plans to ban new licences in the North Sea,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly the Conservatives have a plan to get Britain drilling again by ending the licence ban, scrapping the energy profits levy paid for by cancelling net-zero projects, and securing high-skilled jobs for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Responding to the news, UK Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: \u201cI\u2019m in close contact with BP and have made clear that my priority is ensuring that the workers and local community are protected during this sale process.<\/p>\n \u201cThe North Sea is a vital national asset and we will take a pragmatic approach, recognising that oil and gas will be part of our energy mix for years to come.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m focused on doing right by the workers in the North Sea who have powered this country for generations.\u201d<\/p>\n Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said: \u201cMany people in Aberdeen and the wider sector will be concerned about BP\u2019s announcement, their jobs and its potential impact.<\/p>\n \u201cI am in close contact with BP and had a constructive discussion with the company this morning as this news was announced.<\/p>\n \u201cI and UK Government colleagues are working to ensure jobs and the local community are protected through this sale process and are the first and foremost priority during any transition of ownership.<\/p>\n \u201cThe UK Government is clear – North Sea oil is a vital national asset, oil and gas will very much be part of the energy mix of the country for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"“Workers don\u2019t want thoughts or warm words from the Prime Minister, we need decisive action to safeguard jobs,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":95155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[21198],"tags":[7883,7786,67,6704,361,3766,222],"class_list":["post-95154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bp","tag-aberdeen","tag-andy-burnham","tag-bp","tag-bp-plc","tag-donald-trump","tag-north-sea","tag-offshore"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/117018215643727802","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1_01KY4THMHWZ70604SBYNTPDVT5.jpg\")
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