A former Scottish National Party (SNP) cabinet secretary has called on Deputy First Minister John Swinney to back North Sea oil and gas development following the party’s significant defeat in the Aberdeen South by-election. Alex Neil, who served in SNP governments under Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, criticized the party’s reluctance to support projects such as the Rosebank oil field and Jackdaw gas field, arguing that voters are frustrated by the sector’s perceived treatment as a “sacrificial lamb.”

The Scottish Conservatives secured a surprising victory in the Aberdeen South contest on Thursday, with Douglas Lumsden winning by a majority of more than 6,000 votes. This marks the first Scottish by-election won by the Tories since 1973. Their campaign emphasized opposition to the SNP’s stance on oil and gas, framing the vote as a “referendum” on the industry, which supports over 60,000 jobs in the northeast.

Neil urged Swinney to “grow a backbone” and challenge the Scottish Greens and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, with whom the SNP has governed in power-sharing arrangements opposing new drilling initiatives. He stated that remaining noncommittal does not satisfy voters or the economy and asserted that the majority of Scots favor continuing North Sea development as long as it is economically viable and supports well-paid employment.

The SNP’s share of the vote in Aberdeen South collapsed from 15,213 in 2024 to 8,258, prompting calls for reflection within the party. Stephen Flynn, who resigned his Westminster seat to become an MSP and economy minister, described the loss as a “tough night.” However, former SNP special adviser Kate Higgins suggested that Flynn’s decisions contributed to the defeat, pointing to internal criticism over the party’s direction.

Under the leadership of Sturgeon and her successor Humza Yousaf, the SNP has opposed new fossil fuel projects like Rosebank, which is located approximately 80 miles off Shetland and holds an estimated 300 million barrels of oil. Previous approvals for Rosebank were overturned in court, and a draft energy strategy released under Sturgeon indicated a “presumption against” new oil and gas exploration, though the final version remains unpublished.

The debate over the sector is also unfolding at the UK government level, where the Labour administration has implemented a contentious ban on new oil and gas exploration. This followed Andy Burnham’s by-election victory in Makerfield, positioning him as a strong contender to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, a close ally of Burnham, is favored to become chancellor, raising concerns among industry advocates. Neil warned that Miliband’s appointment could further undermine the sector, describing it as detrimental to Scotland’s economy and jobs in the northeast.

Industry and trade union representatives have also weighed in following the by-election. David Whitehouse, chief executive of Offshore Energies UK, emphasized the importance of pursuing both oil and gas production alongside renewable energy development. Louise Gilmour, secretary of GMB Scotland, highlighted the predictability of the Conservative win based on their pro-North Sea stance and criticized promises of future green jobs while current skilled workers in oil and gas face uncertainty.