John Swinney opposes UK ban on new North Sea oil drilling

John Swinney has told MPs that, while he does not back the UK government’s proposal to ban new North Sea oil and gas licences, he will not oppose the bill’s other measures. The SNP chief’s position marks a sharp shift from the presumption against new drilling that the Scottish government set out in its 2023 energy strategy – a move that has drawn fire from the Greens, Reform and, more recently, the Conservatives.

From Presumption to Partial Acceptance

When the Scottish Government published its draft energy strategy in 2023, it contained a presumption against new offshore oil and gas licences. That stance was a cornerstone of the SNP’s climate ambition, echoing Nicola Sturgeon’s pledge at COP26 to accelerate a fossil‑fuel transition. By April 2024, the UK government had introduced the Energy Independence Bill, which would remove the North Sea Transition Authority’s power to grant fresh licences and would, for the first time, legally enforce the ban. Swinney’s comments in First Minister’s Questions on 12 April reflected a partial departure from the 2023 presumption.

Media additions

“The Energy Independence Bill brings together a number of measures that the Scottish Government supports, but we do not support the provisions of that Bill in relation to the granting of new licences,” Swinney said. He added that any new application would need to be judged against the country’s carbon‑reduction targets and the fact that oil and gas will remain in use for years. In short, the SNP will not veto the ban but will not endorse the bill’s core prohibition either.

Scottish Greens co‑leader Gillian Mackay called Swinney’s comments “a shocking U‑turn” and “a huge departure from a presumption against oil and gas”. She warned the SNP had “shattered” its climate credentials and that the party was “falling into line behind big polluters”. The Greens’ call for Swinney to stop “swithering” on the issue echoed a broader frustration that the SNP has not provided a clear stance on the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields.

Reform UK, seeing the SNP’s shift as a victory, praised Swinney’s decision. Malcolm Offord said the First Minister had “delighted” the party with the U‑turn. The Conservative leader Russell Findlay, meanwhile, accused Swinney of “desperate deflection” and urged the SNP to vote against the ban. He argued that new drilling would protect Scottish jobs, lower bills and strengthen energy security.

Even Labour’s Anas Sarwar, who has backed drilling at Rosebank and Jackdaw, called for a balanced approach that mixes oil, gas, renewables and a ban on nuclear power. The energy debate is therefore split along party lines, with the SNP caught between its historic climate promise and the economic arguments put forward by its rivals.

Oil prices have surged since the UK’s military threat to Iran, pushing Brent crude from around $70 to well over $100 per barrel. Swinney has said that energy security must be a factor in any decision on new drilling, especially given the threat to the Strait of Hormuz. He added that any proposed project “must take into account the need for energy security for households and businesses in Scotland”. The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole‑Hamilton echoed this view, suggesting that domestic fields could be more environmentally sound than imported oil and gas from “potentially sketchy regimes”.

Party Positions on New Licences

Timeline of Key Events

• 2023 – Scottish energy strategy sets presumption against new offshore licences
• April 2024 – UK Energy Independence Bill introduced, banning new licences
• 12 April 2024 – Swinney says SNP will not support ban but backs other bill measures
• Mid‑April 2024 – Swinney softens stance, cites energy security amid Iran conflict