Grangemouth should be a home for the energy industries of the future, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader has said, after Sir Keir Starmer pledged he would work to safeguard jobs there.
Dame Jackie Baillie said her party and the SNP would collaborate as they tried to ensure the long-term future of the site.
Hundreds of jobs are thought to be at risk after owner Petroineos – a joint venture between PetroChina and Ineos – announced the oil refinery at Grangemouth would be shut after spring next year, after which it would transition to being an import terminal for finished fuels.
Sir Keir and First Minister John Swinney discussed the issue when they met on Sunday, during the Labour leader’s first trip north of the border as Prime Minister.
Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme, Dame Jackie said it was a “positive sign” that Sir Keir had chosen to visit Scotland within the first 48 hours of his premiership.
She said: “There was a discussion yesterday between the Prime Minister and the First Minister about Grangemouth.
“We would use the convening power of government to get people around the table in the short-term, but it is about building a long-term future for the site.
“That’s an area where we can work together with the SNP to ensure that we are protecting jobs.”
She continued: “It’s early stages but my understanding is both the UK and the Scottish Government are committed to working together.
“Of course for us, we’ve said we want to make Grangemouth home to the industries of the future.
“We’ve talked about establishing a decarbonisation hub, linked to carbon capture and storage projects.”
Asked if it was now accepted that the refinery would close, she said there would be “urgent” talks with industry about their plans.
A spokesman for Peroineos said: “Keir Starmer became PM on Friday so we haven’t met his team yet but we’re encouraged by his strong expression of support for the workforce here and look forward to discussing in more detail the future transformation of the refinery and, particularly, exploring the full range of low-carbon opportunities that exist.”
