Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has claimed a new report highlighting billions of barrels of untapped oil and gas in the North Sea exposes the “utter madness” of Labour and SNP opposition to new drilling.

Ms Badenoch made the comments ahead of a visit to Aberdeen South today, where the future of the oil and gas industry is expected to be a central issue in the Westminster by-election taking place on June 18.

Her visit follows new research from the University of Aberdeen which found there are an estimated 4.7 billion barrels of oil and gas reserves in the West of Shetland region of the North Sea.

Ms Badenoch is due to visit an oil and gas employer in the constituency alongside Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and the party’s candidate, Douglas Lumsden.

She said the findings reinforced the case for maximising domestic oil and gas production at a time when the industry is facing significant job losses.

“It defies belief that Labour and the SNP won't drill our own oil and gas in the North Sea when independent reports have found there are billions of barrels lying untapped.

“The University of Aberdeen survey just demonstrates the utter madness of the stance taken by Keir Starmer and John Swinney.

“Domestic oil and gas are vital to the nation's energy security, as well as being the economic lifeblood of the North East. Yet the industry is on its knees due to the windfall tax and the ban on new developments. The Conservatives would scrap both immediately.

“The Aberdeen South by-election is a referendum on the future of oil and gas – and voters know that the Conservatives will always have workers' backs.

“Only Douglas Lumsden, who worked in the oil and gas industry, can beat the SNP. By voting for Douglas, voters can send a clear message to the Nationalists and Labour that their war on oil and gas must end.”

Meanwhile, SNP Aberdeen South by-election candidate Richard Thomson yesterday backed the Rosebank and Jackdaw developments, arguing it “makes no sense” to import oil and gas from abroad when the UK can produce it domestically at a lower environmental cost.

Thomson said the June 18 by-election is “absolutely” about oil and gas, with voters concerned about the future of Aberdeen’s energy industry, energy security and the cost of living.

He said projects such as Rosebank and Jackdaw could help maintain jobs and economic activity while supporting a “just transition” towards a future energy system led by renewables.

The Aberdeen South contest takes place on June 18 and is expected to focus heavily on the future of the North Sea energy industry.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: University of Aberdeen 

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