Grangemouth No More
Labour in Scotland made very specific promises in last year’s general election about the under-threat plant at Grangemouth. “We would step in to save the jobs at the refinery and to invest in that transition by making an Energy Transition Hub at Grangemouth” said Anas Sarwar.
Now we are told that Labour will give £600m to Antwerp but nothing to Grangemouth
— BELLA CALEDONIA (@bellacaledonia) January 27, 2025
Not only this but Rachel Reeves goes on the Laura Kuennsberg show and, seemingly, asked us to be cheered by the announcement that they were investing in Teeside.
An extraordinary moment for Labour in Scotland, the party that opposed Ravenscraig and the decimation of industry under Thatcher now does thishttps://t.co/D0mj4vyJQ6
— BELLA CALEDONIA (@bellacaledonia) January 27, 2025
All this while announcing more fairy tales about “growth”, including easing the rule changes on wealthy non-dom tax residents, and summoning the heads of watchdogs to think how they can “tear down regulatory barriers” – all of which sound very familiar as Tory talking points. All of this while talking about clamping down on benefit fraud in a way that is more authoritarian than the Tories. This is all happening as Labour’s lead in Scotland has completely evaporated and gone into reverse…
What once would be a huge story in Scotland now just goes by unnoticed. At the time of writing not a single major media outlet – not BBC Scotland nor the Herald nor the Scotsman is covering this story, which will have massive consequences for workers and communities.
Instead of a Just Transition plan we have talk of a third runway for Heathrow, endless growth on a finite planet, and vague talk about “sustainable aviation fuel”.
Where is the vision for a sustainable Scotland? Where is the vision for jobs? Where is the media – absent on one of the biggest issues facing Scotland today? How are people supposed to believe in a Union that behaves in such a way?
We are supported only by our readers. We don't have corporate backers and we don't take advertising, so we rely entirely on your support.
Help to support independent Scottish journalism
Why are you surprised at betrayal.?
Even if we are not surprised, we should keep speaking.
I’m not surprised, I am surprised by their ineptitude in even pretending to maintain a coherent case for supporting the Union or for having (any) plan for workers and communities
Please delete this post
On what grounds Gordon?
Because it has nothing to do with the article and is anti-semitic?
Fair enough. I’m not entirely sure that it’s anti-semitic though. Or is any criticism of Israel anti-semitic?
No, criticism of Israel is not anti-semitic.
Dont you like free speech?
I agree. While it is factually accurate to point to the fact that Labour (and other parties) are heavily lobbied and influenced by Israel, comments like ‘there’s no business like Shoa business’ are completely unacceptable and therefore the comment will be deleted.
Please delete this post.
‘Just transition’ is a trades unions concept. I don’t think it has much to do with governments apart from use as a catch-phrase, and obviously Holyrood and Westminster couldn’t care less about an elderly oil refinery at Grangemouth or its workers. Ditto the power stations closed at Longannet and Cockenzie. Obviously there will be a transition, but we can forget about the ‘just’ bit.
Spoiler: ‘Just transition’ is not a ‘trades unions concept’, and if it had originated solely within the trade union movement that would not invalidate it.
And you would have to be orbital to think that words like ‘Energy Transition Hub’ mean anything.
Reeves was baffled to be asked.
Sarwar is quite interesting in a way. He’s lies with disturbing ease and confidence yet it is plain he’s lying. It’s not even a game for him. He’s
genuinely indifferent.
Even for a politician that’s not normal.
I think it is normal now. It’s expected! I can’t think of one of them that doesn’t do it
Scotland is required by Westminster for its natural resources but politically it is immaterial unless it is threatening to become independent and take these natural resources with them.
Labour in Scotland epitomises this problem as it campaigns as Scottish Labour but it’s MP’s at Westminster vote as UK Labour whips demand. Meanwhile Anas Sarwar and Labour MSP’s perform verbal gymnastics to try and distance themselves from the Westminster government while not condemning them as they are a UK party.
The comment about how BBC Scotland and STV news have reported this issue, in comparison to the 80’s & 90’s industry shutdowns is well made and speaks to how the priorities of these media organisations appear to have changed.
“Where is the vision for a sustainable Scotland? Where is the vision for jobs? Where is the media – absent on one of the biggest issues facing Scotland today? How are people supposed to believe in a Union that behaves in such a way?”
Sadly, how are prople supposed to believe on a Scottish Government that seems to have much the same agenda? With its Freeports and its forced implementation of the WEF agenda? Every party, ehatever ots official standpoint, is now bought and sold for US gold.
There are plenty of excellent ideas and great vision for the future available but they will not be taken up by the media or the political parties.
The idea that a new party cannot succeed is nonsense. The Labour Party, the SNP, the Greens, all started somewhere. In the present situation only a fresh start can beat the cynicism and despair that make progress impossible by any other route.
Democracy and the rule of law are dead in Scotland. The only possible future is to establish both. Otherwise, we really are too wee, too poor, to stupid to do anything for ourselves.
But as I have said before, while we continue to be bought and sold for (American) gold we are going nowhere. The independence we need most is from the ‘shareholder value’ mindset.
Of course we can do it.
As for Teeside, see Eyes passim ad nauseam, as they say…
Precisely.
Well the people who re-drew the maritime border between Scotland and England and gave us the vow, chince us again. Scotland, celebrating the next 4 years of the great step backwards.
Saying that the offshore renewables licence sells off under NS shows the SNP has the same Neo-liberal ethos. An issue conveniently overlooked by the unionist press, I wonder did Bella cover the issue, the only noise seem to come from common weal who exposed the rip off, and the only political follow through seems to have come from Salvo who are also campaigning on the Freeport’s. Where are the greens on this, the ISP are opposed, as are Alba I think.
“and summoning the heads of watchdogs to think how they can “tear down regulatory barriers” ”
excellent – so will they “teardown regulatory barriers” that prevent me developing community energy schemes (hated by & prevented by Scottish Power & SSE) that deliver low cost elec to people?…………………thought not. Rachel-from-accounts – all piss & wind.
The most surprising thing about this survey is that apparently there are still enough Labour supporters in three constituencies to count as a win.
Tories haven’t changed, so the selfish and self-centred will still vote for their own (perceived) enrichment, Libdems have always been irrelevant so again no change.
But Labour? Inexplicable.