Union leaders have issued a stark warning that the accelerating loss of jobs in Scotland’s offshore energy sector risks a sharp swing towards the emerging political force led by Nigel Farage. This development is a direct consequence of misplaced government priorities that jeopardise the livelihoods of thousands while pursuing unrealistic green ambitions.

Louise Gilmour, secretary of GMB Scotland, highlighted the urgent need for decisive intervention from both Westminster and Holyrood to protect traditional energy industries and secure a prosperous future for Scottish workers. “Ministers appear paralysed, fixated on futuristic renewable job promises that have yet to materialise, while a pragmatic leader canvasses support with a clear-eyed plan for reindustrialisation,” she said. Gilmour observed that many working-class communities have grown sceptical of the empty rhetoric surrounding renewables and soaring energy costs, making them receptive to calls for safeguarding well-paid oil and gas employment.

The reality is harsh: the number of offshore energy jobs is diminishing rapidly as manufacturing contracts tied to green energy increasingly move abroad. Both UK and Scottish governments must urgently prioritise policies that underpin employment in energy, manufacturing, and engineering sectors in Scotland, instead of leaving workers stranded in economic limbo during this transition.

As the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) prepares to debate the alarming rise of far-right influence at its Dundee congress, GMB Scotland warns that the so-called “just transition” remains an unfulfilled aspiration. Around 2,000 offshore jobs vanished last year alone, revealing the wide gap between green political promises and the facts on the ground.

Farage’s political platform, which insists on support for the fossil fuel sector and questions the practicality of Scotland’s ambitious Net Zero commitments, is gaining traction with voters disillusioned by the mishandling of industrial decline. Recent polls suggest this movement could command nearly one-fifth of the Scottish vote despite limited grass-roots presence north of the border.

Moreover, Farage’s endorsement of nationalising British Steel and credit claims for preserving key blast furnaces at Scunthorpe signal a sharp focus on revitalising traditional industries neglected by both Labour and the Conservatives. Reform’s strategy effectively appeals to disaffected Conservative voters uncomfortable with immigration policies, as well as Labour supporters alarmed by economic stagnation in post-industrial communities.

Notably, this political force was deliberately excluded from a government-led summit aimed at combating far-right growth—a token gesture critics deem hollow given the real issues fueling voter discontent.

Gilmour insists that mainstream politicians must move beyond empty dialogue and implement robust policies that genuinely protect Scottish jobs. “Winning votes will come down to delivering impactful, practical measures that improve everyday lives—not endless meetings without results.”

She also stressed the pragmatic need to maintain a secure oil and gas industry during the energy transition, warning against abandoning tens of thousands of jobs. “Climate change is undeniable and renewables are part of the future, but we cannot sacrifice our economy or energy security in pursuit of unattainable targets.”

This crisis exposes the damaging consequences of Labour’s green agenda and the government’s failure to balance environmental goals with economic realities—a failure exploited by Farage’s burgeoning movement that champions common-sense industrial revival over ideological fantasy.

Source: Noah Wire Services