Scottish election results 2026 live: SNP wins 58 seats as Labour and Reform tie for second with 17 each
SNP’s Westminster leader Flynn says UK government should approve oil and gas drillingpublished at 15:32 BST 9 May
James Cook
Scotland editor
Image source, PA MediaImage caption,
Stephen Flynn joined John Swinney and the SNP’s other newly-elected MSPs in Edinburgh
The Scottish National Party’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn,
says the UK government should approve drilling for oil at the Rosebank field
off Shetland and gas from Jackdaw east of Aberdeen.
Flynn is moving from Westminster to Holyrood where he narrowly
won the Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine seat in Thursday’s election.
“I think it’s probably about time the UK government got off
the fence and approved those projects,” Flynn told me.
“They are essential for energy security within these
isles,” he added, although that is contested by environmentalists.
His comments go further than those by SNP leader John Swinney
who has repeatedly said that any new oil and gas fields should be approved only
if they are compatible with the UK’s obligation to tackle climate change.
Flynn also said he did not want to become first minister and
praised Swinney’s leadership.
“I could not be prouder to have John Swinney as a leader for
what he has done for our party over the course of the last two years,” he
said.
Asked whether a fall in the SNP’s vote share and seat total meant
that the party should focus on bread and butter issues rather than trying to
force an immediate second referendum on independence, Flynn said it looked as
if the UK was about to have pro-independence first ministers in Wales and
Scotland as well as a first minister in Stormont in favour of a united Ireland.
“The constitutional fabric of the UK is about to change
dramatically, and having spent time in Westminster, they are not prepared for
that.” said Flynn.
