An SNP politician has taken the dramatic step of sending a P45 dismissal notice to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, in protest at what he claims is a devastating loss of jobs in Scotland's vital oil and gas sector.
A Symbolic Dismissal Over Energy Policy
Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart dispatched the document by special delivery to 10 Downing Street, where it was due to arrive on Tuesday 23 December 2025. He stated the move was a direct response to Labour's continued application of the Energy Profits Levy (EPL), which he asserts is crippling the industry.
"This Christmas thousands of folk across the north east will be worried about their livelihoods because Labour’s tax on Scotland’s energy is costing 1,000 jobs a month," Mr Stewart declared. He accused the Prime Minister of ignoring pleas from both industry leaders and workers to reconsider the policy.
The Research Behind the Job Loss Claims
The MSP's action follows recent research from Robert Gordon University, which suggested that approximately 400 jobs are being lost across North Sea industries every fortnight. This analysis has been cited by industry body Offshore Energies UK, which squarely blames the EPL for the potential haemorrhaging of employment in the north-east.
The Energy Profits Levy was originally introduced as a temporary measure by the Conservative government but has been maintained by the incoming Labour administration. It is currently scheduled to end by 2030.
However, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has publicly challenged the scale of these job loss predictions. When questioned by journalists during a visit to Grangemouth the previous Wednesday, she was asked if she believed that level of job loss was the reality. Her response was a firm: "No, I don’t."
Political Recriminations and the Independence Argument
Undeterred, Mr Stewart framed his symbolic P45 as an act on behalf of his constituents. "There will be a long line of folk in Scotland who would love to give this lame duck prime minister his jotters – but they’ll be behind some of his own Labour MPs," he said. "If Labour won’t get rid of their tax on Scotland’s energy, then we need to get rid of Starmer from No 10."
The MSP concluded with a push for Scottish independence, arguing: "Scotland has the energy, we just need the power. With independence we could make our own choices – protect our energy workforce, invest in our industry and grow Scotland’s economy exponentially."
The UK Government responded by reaffirming its commitment to the sector. A spokesman said: "Oil and gas production will be with us for decades to come, and we will manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan while delivering the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition."
Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie dismissed Mr Stewart's letter as a "desperate and embarrassing stunt". She contrasted it with Labour's record, citing over £10 billion in additional funding for the Scottish Government, energy bill support, and a £120 million package to protect jobs at Grangemouth announced just last week.
She accused SNP ministers of failing to produce a credible industrial strategy and predicted a political reckoning: "At the Scottish Parliament election next year, John Swinney will be handed a P45 by the Scottish people, bringing to an end almost two decades of a failing SNP government."
