Boris Johnson has been urged to “reverse his government’s massive own goal” after it rejected a pioneering carbon capture scheme for the north-east.
The UK Government’s decision to reject a funding bid for the Acorn Project near Peterhead last week in favour of two schemes in the north of England has attracted widespread criticism.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford told the prime minister the north-east has been “waiting weeks for a clear reason why the Scottish cluster bid was rejected”.
It comes as former Scotland Office minister – and north-east MP – David Duguid was accused of “scrambling” after holding talks with the lead developer of the Acorn project, who he said remain “hopeful” of becoming fully operational by 2026.
‘Far and away the best bid’
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Mr Blackford said the Scottish Cluster was “by far and away the best bid” and claimed if the decision was “based on science alone, it would have been approved on the spot”.
He added: “It’s obvious this was a political decision in Westminster to reject it.”
The Prime Minister told Mr Blackford the bid remains on the reserve list and said his government would “come back to this”.
He added: “I’d like to encourage the right honourable gentleman to be a little less gloomy about the prospects of this bid.
“I understand exactly what he says and what we’re doing is working with the Scottish Government and I thank the Scottish Government for their co-operation and all their support they gave to COP26 and what they’re doing.
“We will come back to this but what I may say is what I think is working well is the spirit of co-operation between all levels of government in this country and what doesn’t work is confrontation.”
Future of Acorn Project
Mr Duguid, MP for Banff and Buchan, this week met with Brandon Rennet, the chief financial officer of Storegga, the firm behind the development of the Acorn Project.
He said he is determined to work with Acorn and the UK Government to ensure the project is provided with the appropriate support in its designation as reserve site.
The Conservative MP added: “The UK Government has invested £31 million in the project and will continue to engage with Acorn to support ongoing development and planning as the reserve cluster.”
He added: “But that doesn’t mean it has to take this long – Storegga themselves still project Acorn to be operational by 2026 and I fully support that.”
‘Disastrous decision’
Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn said: “It is clear the Scottish Tories are scrambling after this disastrous decision by their own party to snub the north-east, just as they did in 2015.
“Industry leaders and the public were shocked by the inexplicable rejection of the Acorn project – it’s not warm words we need from toothless Tory MPs, it’s action from their government.
“David Duguid and his north-east Tory colleagues have been left humiliated by their Westminster paymasters and, instead of trying to justify their prime minister’s reckless decision making, they should be demanding a rethink to see the Acorn project awarded Track 1 status right now.”