Flynn attacks Labour's North Sea windfall tax plans

The SNP's Westminster leader has attacked Labour's North Sea windfall tax plans and vowed his party was committed to a "just and sustainable" future oil and gas sector.

Stephen Flynn said Labour's proposal for a time-limited windfall tax on fossil fuel companies would result in "100,000 job losses".

And he told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg the Tory position was to "act like oil and gas will last forever".

Sir Keir Starmer wants to raise the windfall tax on fossil fuel firms from 75% of excess profits to 78% while also extending it to 2029.

The Conservatives last week said the proposals were "based on fantasies" but Labour said the government had not made enough progress on the transition to renewable energy.

Flynn also denied the SNP had given up on independence and said it would feature in the opening line of its manifesto when it is launched.

Scottish political leaders last week went head-to-head over the future of the North Sea oil and gas industry in the first TV debate of the general election.

When it was put to Flynn, speaking from Peterhead, that the SNP had softened its stance on new oil and gas licences, he said: "What we believe in is a just and sustainable transition that protects the future employment of the tens of thousands of people who live behind me."

He added the party would create "the new net zero jobs of tomorrow" and accused Labour of plans to "crap 100,000 jobs.

Flynn also condemned Labour's decision to ditch its policy of spending £28bn a year on its green investment plan.

And he accused the Conservatives of "almost becoming climate deniers".

Flynn was challenged over his criticism of Labour's plans for a 78% windfall tax on North Sea energy companies.

A windfall tax is used to target firms which benefit from something for which they were not responsible.

Labour has proposed increasing it, while the SNP wants it maintained at the current level, which is about 75%.

Flynn said the increased revenue from Labour's plans would not reduce energy bills but rather "flow into nuclear power projects in England".

He added the job figures were calculated by independent investment experts and had the Unite union saying it would result in workers being put "on the scrapheap".

Flynn said: "We need to make sure that we have a just transition that allows us to meet our climate targets."

Labour's Ian Murray later said the SNP had "zero credibility" on the economy and was "all over the place" when it came to energy jobs and security.

He said: "Stephen Flynn thinks a nurse on £29,000 a year should pay more tax but the oil and gas giants taking in billions of pounds in profits shouldn’t.

"That’s nonsense from a party that can’t give a straight answer on oil and gas."

Murray said Labour would establish GB energy, which would be based in Scotland, and transform the country into a "clean energy superpower".