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Westminster’s green energy snub threatens North East’s economic potential

Gordon MP Richard Thomson has warned that the UK Government’s refusal to invest in renewable energy is threatening the North-east’s potential to become a European green energy economic powerhouse.

It comes as new data from the International Energy Agency revealed the UK spends less than any other major European economy on green energy, despite evidence that such spending could lower household bills and increase economic growth.

Despite possessing enormous expertise in Scotland’s growing green energy sector, the UK’s spending lags far behind that of European leaders Germany, Italy, France, and Spain on per capita spend on green initiatives.

Commenting, Gordon MP and SNP Westminster spokesperson on Business and Trade Richard Thomson said:

“Scotland – and the North-east in particular - has the potential to be a European green energy economic powerhouse, but that is being threatened by the UK Government’s refusal to invest in renewables.

“We have a huge availability of expertise locally and infrastructure that is already showing what we can achieve with the proper backing - but that government investment has to come to allow Scotland to realise its unique green growth opportunity.

“Compared to the SNP Scottish Government’s approach that has seen hundreds of millions invested in securing a Just Transition and developing our green economy, the Conservatives have given up just as Labour have ditched their own £28 billion proposals.

“From the EU to US, countries across the world are piling money into renewables yet far from even trying to compete, the UK has barely entered the race, and the signals coming from the Westminster parties offer little in the way of hope.

“Energy rich Scotland has been let down time and time again by London governments whose Westminster status quo offers nothing.

"Unlike Sunak and Starmer, the SNP will always stand up for Scotland's values and interests - and by championing the potential that shows we can do better, we'll get the best deal for Scotland and our green economy.”