Six in ten Scots back full development of North Sea oil and gas, poll finds
A poll by Survation found just 13 per cent are opposed
Almost six in ten Scots back the development and extraction of the UK’s remaining oil and gas reserves, a new poll has found.
The poll by Survation, conducted on behalf of True North Advisors, showed 58 per cent support new North Sea drilling.
Just 13 per cent are opposed. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused the UK Labour government of being “out of step with public opinion”.
UK ministers have ruled out new oil and gas exploration, while also rejecting calls to lower taxes.
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), which represents the industry, has repeatedly warned the current fiscal regime is costing 1,000 jobs a month. It wants to see the windfall tax - or energy profits levy - urgently reformed.
The new poll found 75 per cent believe the UK should aim to meet as much of its demand as possible from oil and gas produced in the North Sea. Meanwhile, 61 per cent cent agree North Sea energy companies have a positive impact on the UK economy.
Allister Thomas, a senior energy advisor at True North, said: “This polling underlines the widespread public support for our world-class oil and gas industry with a clear majority of voters recognising its immense contribution to the UK’s energy and economic security.
“The energy profits levy has been in place since 2022, oil and gas prices have normalised, and the UK now also has a ban on new exploration – all while we remain heavily reliant on imports with higher emissions and limited economic benefit.
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“Four months out from the Scottish Parliament elections, there is a clear gap between public sentiment and current policy.
“While renewables are critical to the long-term transition, it is economically and environmentally responsible to meet domestic demand from the North Sea in the meantime.”
Speaking to journalists during a visit to Aberdeen on Friday, Mrs Badenoch hit out at the UK government’s stance on oil and gas.
“I think the Labour Party have been out of step with public opinion since the day that they came into office,” she said. “All they were focused on was winning the election – and hands up, we lost the election because the public could see that those policies were not working.”
David Whitehouse, the chief executive of OEUK, said: "This poll is further evidence that the public recognise that as long as the UK needs oil and gas it makes sense to use its own rather than rely on imports.
“Without urgent reform of the windfall tax we will continue see thousands of jobs lost in the sector and UK economic value squandered.”
Survation polled 1,003 Scots aged 16 or over between January 8 and 12.
A spokesman for the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “Issuing new licences to explore new fields will not take a penny off bills, cannot make us energy secure, and will only accelerate the worsening climate crisis.
“We have set out a plan to build a prosperous and sustainable future for the North Sea, backed by record investment to grow clean energy industries, support the management of existing oil and gas fields for their lifespan and deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers.”
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