PM urged to review oil policy after Trump labels North Sea ‘a treasure chest'
Andrew Bowie called for a review of policies affecting the oil and gas industry.
The US president was in Scotland earlier this week and during his visit he described the North Sea as 'a treasure chest for the United Kingdom', and warned fossil fuel taxes make 'no sense'.
He also took aim at 'some of the ugliest windmills you've ever seen', referring to wind turbines off the coast near Aberdeen.
Mr Bowie has written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling for a meeting in London to explore the effects of oil and gas policies.
He referred to the windfall tax on the profits made from extracting UK oil and gas, introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2022 and retained until 2030 by Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
In his letter to Sir Keir, Mr Bowie wrote: 'As president Trump has said, the UK's 'very high' tax on oil and gas companies is a deterrent to investment.
'The extension of the energy profits levy (EPL), coupled with uncertainty around future licensing and investment signals, has created a climate of instability that threatens jobs, innovation and the region's economic resilience.
'President Donald Trump's remarks during your visit – calling Aberdeen the 'oil capital of Europe' and urging the UK to 'bring it back' – reflect a sentiment shared by many in the region.
'May I urge you to consider the president's call to 'incentivise' domestic production of hydrocarbons?
'Oil and gas still have a vital role to play in our energy mix and economic future; British people would rather see the UK benefit from domestic exploration and drilling than import more from Norway and Qatar.'
Mr Bowie, who is the Conservative MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, added: 'Will you urgently call a meeting in Downing Street to conduct the review in partnership with industry leaders, our world-leading supply chain business, and the local workforce to ensure a coherent and sustainable path forward?'
During his visit with Sir Keir, Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website: 'North Sea Oil is a treasure chest for the United Kingdom.
'The taxes are so high, however, that it makes no sense.
'They have essentially told drillers and oil companies that, 'we don't want you'.
'Incentivise the drillers, fast. A vast fortune to be made for the UK, and far lower energy costs for the people.'
Speaking at his Turnberry golf resort in South Ayrshire, Mr Trump said: 'When we go to Aberdeen, you'll see some of the ugliest windmills you've ever seen, the height of a 50-storey building.'
Gesturing with his hands, he added: 'You can take 1,000 times more energy out of a hole in the ground this big.'
Sir Keir at the time said oil and gas are 'going to be with us for a very long time, and that'll be part of the mix, but also wind, solar, increasingly nuclear'.
Aberdeen has been chosen by the Government to host the headquarters of GB Energy, a state-owned company set up to accelerate the rollout of renewables.
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